The happiness was in the air. Smiles and laughter erupted around him, all happy for his fortunate recovery and reintegration to human society. A welcome change from the hostile outside.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFAebwCnRn
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But he felt empty.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUoy5s0EBl
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A void has been with him for the longest time. Since the time he regained sanity since his beserk entry in Regoir, he was convinced and thankful that he finally regained what might be the few fragments that were left of his humanity. But seeing the snarls and the glares that were targeted at him every time he walked on the city, he realized one thing: Those fragments may be more fewer than he thought.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4EtZNGf02
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqeVhB09dR
He didn't feel anger, he didn't feel resentment for them. Just an overwhelming sense of prejudice and pride, almost like an instinct, that he was stronger, faster, and better than them. They knew it, feared him for it.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnK1O4joSAZ
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Even now, he felt thankful. Or rather, he wanted to feel thankful, just because it was the human thing to do.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqUzrOqK7c
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Much as he smiled at his comrades, he felt only so little as a tinge of their so-called "happiness". He knew only how to react on the stimuli represented to him, not feel it himself. That and the ever-gnawing instinct of that pride, his subconscious but sure disdain of these "weak" creatures.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡProcmjcT3H
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sAiY0D6Kn
In short, Heath Erhonial had lost almost all of his emotions, a numb husk of his former self. The only thing left, if you could call it an emotion, was his pride, twisted all the more by his undead nature.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoRHEQy7Mh
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Laugh, witness the tears of his comrades as he did, he could only react on them. These actions it seems, his little empathy, albeit with no emotion involved, stem from his forgotten human side. Some of the few fragments of his humanity, it seems.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPg92EIKa1i
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1KNWvwoaZ
All the while his inner self, the instinct told him, "Why do you feel sorry for these weaklings? You could kill them, torture them in so many ways, use their blood for your nourishment. Chop their limbs one by one, snap their--"520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSMIAg22A0
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"No."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemjJiM8ten
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"I am human," he assures himself.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSmQsCsxT5
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZB85mkCrfp
"And when will you snap out of that delusion?" The primal desire in him seemed to taunt. "You know you seriously can't keep me hidden, nay, surpressed, for so long, right?"520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7aschOQiv
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIc5I5nzfkW
Heath sat on his chair, struggling to keep his thoughts in check.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFI14E0PlyS
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMURNezl4Iv
"You can end this, Heath," the voice beckoned. "End this foolishness. Lose your humanity."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcJNkzm9P3
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"Become the monster they fear you are."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5OWpH6jeC
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrL8lkoYh4
Heath grimaced at the thought, lost in the twisted world of his mind. The laughter around the dining table turned into echoes and once again, Heath was inside the place he longed to be freed from.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjT0AcQ1HU8
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9ONUKYYsD
"No!" Heath suddenly shouted out loud, desiring no longer to be imprisoned in that dark place.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlljMdJ7PeN
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvzxeJG5tz
"Heath?" Jennia asked, in place of everyone who now stared at him in shock.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WxrqxlbUU
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ACWs8IYeA
Heath lifted his head. All faces looked at him from around the table. All wearing concern. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaT4NFPoSRc
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Concern for him? Please. They should be concerned of themselves.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqZMqzhMmz
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Heath broke into a hearty smile.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxCpVHtFkX
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvHCLxeKlj
"No-no more food on my plate!" He exclaimed, "Foronard, I need a refill!"520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrjTGCrH7r
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That seemed to do the trick. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24egOrqmnn
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In what seemed like time stopping, the hearty atmosphere that came to a sudden halt due to Heath's outburst returned once again, as it should.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqbdJvwJVE
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdF6jK1KX5E
Heath holds out his plate for the lizard-man cook to put the delicious Glutton Walker ribs on. Foronard catches a quick glance at Heath, seemingly to assess something, then returns to his task of putting the food on the plate.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGS99NHJtEU
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9crwtZTt7
Heath, not wanting to worry his guildmates, ate the ribs with gusto and exclaimed for another serving, much to the joy of the others. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawii1oc1U5
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RzbGuhLsH
The joyful evening went on, and no sooner had Heath forgotten the ordeal he had mentally, albeit temporarily.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUObRhYVSpy
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1lcYQ9Cct
---(4 Hours Later)---520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhN0REQvSD6
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The Guild members had one by one went to bed. Until the ones left to fix the mess that was the dining table were Yuno, Heath, and Foronard. The three of them staring sleepily at the pile of dishes left by the others.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNSGWtT7Cg
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKCqFdNHAP
---(Heath's POV)---520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZPJcF9zhN
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Well this is awkward.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQL2TM8TEQ
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I suppose I should do the honor of starting the clean up effort.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDmIcdTKPr
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"You two can sleep if you want to," I told Yuno and Foronard.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfEgaBt747
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIejLEkLETq
"I suppose," Yuno yawned in response. "Good night, you two."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8b3A18kLO
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIZnhGV82m
Yuno stands up and starts to walk toward the hall while I gather the wooden bowls and utensils in the table.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxNX0bXsbL
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUBNYCwlZ8
"Oh hey, Feran," she suddenly said.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4U2QdAwwS
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVBjAJbaKO
I turned to see a big wolf emerging out of the hallway that connected the kitchen and the living quarters. It was Feran, the resident Lupi Giganti or Great Wolf of the guild, possibly the last of his kind and the strongest among us in terms of offensive capability.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ltXP86XPf
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fzy8MIWQo
Yuno, as if in a sleepy trance, reached out for the cozy furry face and snuggled in, much to Feran's annoyance.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjETuTVw0MB
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This scene would have been humurous if Feran was reduced to the size of a regular dog and not a huge black wolf whose maw can easily sever Yuno's head from her body in one bite.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIN95bMKPYr
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"Uh, Yuna," he said, "stop sleeping on my fur."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhnWBtP4Mp
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Feran shook his head to wake Yuno up, as she was starting to fall into slumber while laying her head on Feran's furry forehead.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05S0VuDNRq
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbb6f36gOaU
"No," Yuno sleepily muttered, "just a little more, Feeeeeraaan~."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbFGwhWkP8
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DevZpzMWR
I turned my attention to the plates I was carrying, being distracted by this scene is detrimental and would accomplish nothing. Foronard followed my lead.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4a5xjEkUY
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I cleared the table as properly as I could, searching every nook and cranny for crumbs. I will not fail at a task as meager as this.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIQVLfZc7O
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Feran stared at me helplessly as Yuno continued her task in sleeping in the cozy dark fur. No, buddy. That's your problem.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7l7ibQHXr
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Feran got the message and dragged the still-clinging Guild Master towards her bedroom.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4SNPat2GE
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"He should have just transformed," Foronard remarked.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53LxZERv7C
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I shrugged. Feran was more comfortable with his Lupine form, it seems. It wasn't a burden for him but lately his big size has become a problem when you pass by him in the hallway.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfPn5R6y7H
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After that interaction, Foronard and I focused our attention to washing the dishes. I was thankful for the chore, it served as a moment to think deeply, even though the raging thoughts can be occasionally heard.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOIE7ss2Ld
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No matter, I'll satiate its bloodlust on the Tower later.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOVwiyMxv3
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"Heath," Foronard said, "have the thoughts been bordering you again?"520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnORI8VVvT
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I didn't answer. I was not surprised Foronard came straight to the problem. He has the same circumstances as I did.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJqlQcZR0d
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7nXQEkN9o
Foronard, as a lizard-man, was also an "unfeeling", but was blessed only to have the instinct of survival, unlike I who had a vampire's eternal desire to drink blood even when it is unnecessary.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpkyGIWudS
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It was because of this and his uncanny perception of things, that he came to know of my condition. And how it was worsening by the week.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIZNVEHoz0
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"Yes," I answered.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhK1D6j2N6O
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"How strong were the urges?" He asked in the same inquiring, emotionless tone he always had, as if he wouldn't be put in danger if I succumbed. Well, that's the good thing about lizardmen, I must say.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffvJu7ZiYY
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"Quite annoying, not strong."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOOZMcBc6w
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"Can you still hold?" He asked, concern absent from his voice, but it was felt. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zBVhQ4BfL
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The truth was that though it was serious, I pushed the matter aside. I had hoped that some sort of clichéd miracle would happen on my darkest hours, saving my conscience from the sin of having drained everyone and everything of life.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidHBcnrEjO
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But now I wasn't so sure.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEkWiK7yVU
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The voice, has lately become stronger. More vivid and clear.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiThMGQGQi
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More... Me.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuQmcs9jP0
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How do I battle this enemy? I thought while scrubbing the plates. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7WutbBuii
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7X7w5pe67
My mind wanders to a session with Jin- our Guild's monk, 6 months ago. Back then, I was emerging from my unsociable self and was still distrustful of people. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aU2mEe3EX
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7lDhVE7Zk
I didn't know how to feel, but I knew how to adapt. And as such, I was taught human or should I say, humane courtesy. How to respond to thanks, how to react to threats in a "humane" way, and that to defend is better than to attack. These things helped cultivate at least a little of my humanity, it seems. I "remembered" how to react accordingly in a humane manner. Whoever I was before Regoir, I must have been someone reasonable, one-sided, and sane, unlike now.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWzxbkZTSB
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But that doesn't go to say that I regret being a monster. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1vghRroTa
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwF70BqCRXd
I felt their fear. The natural human responce towards something they cannot fully comprehend or understand, also when they know that whatever they may do, they will never be above you. Their fear may have ironically protected me, as no one would approach a vampire walking in the streets would they? Every wound they inflicted, I healed ten times as fast. Every strike, I could block.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT8mhDpkeX
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7oXvgss8J
It was satisfying, I mean considering they hated me anyway, they at least hate with a passion, right?520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbo9TbkQ3j
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBtxqvfNzq
Kidding aside, that fear furthermore told them to leave me in my own devices, which in turn had me find myself in the Tower to feed most of the time. For 4 months, it was my life cycle, by the fifth month, some people became fascinated by my supernatural strength and so hired me as a freelancer, someone who fought and was paid by the guild, albeit not being part of it. It had given me hope that I can at least live as a human as I once did, and in turn, remember. But no, I never did.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6oeImTnDj
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92W9vCsmN5
A month later, I would meet Yuno and become a member of her Guild. By that time, I had my hope rekindled. But as you can see, my memories still hadn't returned. Whilst the voices grew stronger, more vivid than mere instincts you can brush off easily. Occasionally, my fangs grew in size, despite the fact that they only happen when I feed on the Tower. I was losing in touch with my humanity, drinking more blood than eating human food.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrbGFlKNRX
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciB3ZEO3gT
Jin noticed my outbursts in runs within the Tower and told me about his concern. At first, I brushed him off. But as he said, it worsened.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxERn3e04i
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHQ8A4KxRf
Jin taught me how to utilize my supernatural strength and speed instead of my unusual blood magic, which apparently was the cause of my problems. With some class rechanging, Jin had turned and is training me as a Monk in the ways of the Open-Palm Martial Arts.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbqXxNYV3D
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSap3J6gSfZ
But it was in our last session that I learned something valuable.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKo6B4SVSJ
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That "even though it's pretending to be," he said, "the fact that you still remain who you are and that you trust us is what makes you human."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtvXrxaj4M
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmLjbVbNMS
"Trust not your mind, Heath, for it can easily be fooled by what it sees and perceives. Trust not your heart, for your raw emotions can hinder you. Instead, trust in your soul. For it is, as inconsistent your logic or emotions maybe, the only thing eternal. In other words, my friend: It is you. No instinct, no mind-control, no amnesia, no circumstance will ever change that."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0naOcrjFlh
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwGtgEflsj
Those words resonated within me. They shone like a beacon of hope within the dark shell that I am. But all the same, I often find myself questioning: What soul am I?520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOMTtnQXNt
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecZ6mgtjiQ
Ah well, not that the answer was that easy to find anyway. But it keeps me going, to say the least.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xTwf0yPhh
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbt5R0447WB
And to answer Foronard's inquiry...520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMUIlwbae7
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHbjnABVxy
"Yes," I told him, with a big grin on my face, "even if I lose my sanity, my humanity will always be there. My soul will go back to who it always is: Me."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhkJjobTWD
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPghic6lUyq
Foronard replied with a smile. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06nBDtlDm2
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Albeit I cannot read lizard-man expressions as easily as humans' and beastmen's, I could sense that the smile projected envy and a sense of satisfaction.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgDvfeTO2R
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Of what, I can only have a vague idea of. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRd8EuIQ8f
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He then finished the last dish, and as he handed it to me, he turned to me, now serious.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpDi3ifgav
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOTSHKLRqR
"I do not know if this will help, Heath," he stated, "But I have heard of rumors from the tavern that may of interest of you. Both good and bad rumors."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPRHSCTZ2p
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORsDk66Lvg
I nodded for him to continue.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2b1hM4Haaq
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"I will assume you want to hear the bad rumors first," he said, letting go of the dish.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASWLLHOnkU
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"The king's forces are coming back," he reported grimly.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl092Qh0hvN
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I stopped wiping.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7MlCLiwGV
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"It seems that after the long war North, the king of Regoir is coming back to the city. In 2 weeks, he'll be here with his generals."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVwMnqgMjz
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WpSCrmoqI
There was a reason I got to roam around freely for a year.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnm2hEEhBI
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigzmDugJ3B
You see, when I arrived at Regoir, I came when the majority of the main forces of the city were out to assist the Beastmen with their war over north.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlc72frm83Q
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Due to this, the city guard were left, along with conscripted adventurers, to guard the city.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcWWClfMBH
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The war in the North was bad enough for the King to send with him all his trusted generals, leaving the city to the Commander of the Royal Guard to enforce orders.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0T99OqXuAa
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It all went well, until I came, mad from hunger.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJUCbkDpSW
520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvJdXsqxYD
I killed all the guards and made their captain pee on the marketplace, then I passed out. Afterwards, I was bought in for questioning into their headquarters, where I was tortured for 3 straight days, asked if I was a spy from the vampires of the southeastern reaches. Of course, I didn't know what they were talking about.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0T18CEtoA
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That and my hunger, again.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatNhZ8TshJ
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So I slaughtered my way out of the building, drank too much blood and gradually became sane enough to be communed with. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInOiMBfjX4
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But I had the commander by the neck when I came to.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRo8H2Devy
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The commander begged for his life, promising me freedom and safety to walk within the city. Provided I didn't feed on locals, he promised me entry to the Tower, where I could feed on as many monsters as I wanted to. As it turned out that I didn't necessarily have to feed on human blood.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRsh61w6hP
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The commander gave me his word that the king himself, once having returned from the war, will give me asylum and safety. Of course, all of it was for me to spare his life.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKdYzDLZUq
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One will not expect such flimsy agreement to last, and as such, I expected and prepared for the day when he turns from his "agreement" and the King brings the city's wrath on me and brings me to justice.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqcFIrKOvs
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He will be punished, of course, but I doubt it be long-term. The king was known to be merciful to his subjects, human and inhuman alike. But abominations as I am?520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOOvDeRDDw
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My time has inevitably come, indeed.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7m8xuPT1V
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Now, I question myself why I still haven't run away.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotWHSK8UJ0
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Suddenly, I remembered their faces; Yuno, May-mai, Foronard, Mythral, Goronorf, Feran, and the others.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTpazyCiLk
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Of course. It was my stupidity that rendered me immobile. But it was also what caused me to meet these people. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKqVgyu68w
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For that, I must feel thankful. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCCH33Wzd5
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I may have to leave them for their and my safety. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99OCMDT6KJ
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The king will no doubt scour the city for me after hearing what I have done since my arrival. Once he finds me, I am done for.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJxOQT0AbJ
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Though I was undead, I still wanted to have some kind of purpose, as protecting the guild and my comrades is no longer an option, for I have brought them trouble myself. At the very least I wanted to die a heroic death but what good is there in dying whilst not knowing who you are?520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ApWJJRGs5
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"The next news will indeed be welcome to your ears, Heath, if you are thinking what I think you are."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgih5iZ5Lt
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I looked at him expectantly.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDf925AiTN
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"Some adventurers that had come from the southwest jungles are talking about a certain cave within the Jor-an Green."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWOpI4Jp85
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"Are suggesting that cave be my new hiding place?" I chuckled.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKemG1JJiTd
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"No. Apparently, anyone who goes into the cave are... never the same when they go out."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIIp6PeQOn
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"They go insane, you mean? You're not suggesting I go there don't you?" I chuckled back.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudvgktBBml
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"There's that, yes. But the main attribute of the cave is what caught my attention, all the more reason for you to go there. Listen to me carefully."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXGdUeD2W3
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At this point, Foronard must be annoyed by my comedy. Well, he better relish it, it may be my last performance.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdOtqYd4G6
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But witty as I was, nothing prepare me for what he was about to tell me.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpVVx4jX35
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"The cave will go on forever, they said. But there something from within the cave that affects the mind. Individuals will often emerge from the cave, screaming, sometimes laughing sentimentally. When asked, they will describe their childhood memories to you, in full detail, then continue screaming again, as if in fear of whatever was inside the caverns."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8S4TuwH13M
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Finally. I had it. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdB94Izocu
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"The cave, for whatever reason - magic or something else..."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRxWYJjeXW
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I had hope.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5BV5aBcZf
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"It alters memories. Maybe even makes you remember them."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡho7aSeqyrl
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--The Remnants of Another World: The Walküre--
The Walküre are the remnants of another world that had succumbed to the fires of war. They were once called the most powerful military might of that world, but with power comes rivalry. Called Americans in the old war, and they were proud of it, before they took their power and privilege for granted and their arrogance led to their downfall.
No one was sure of where the name came from, only that it meant "Valkyrie" in the Walküre's own world. Some said it symbolized the organization, while others said that it was simply the name of the unit that started the organization. But that didn't matter. It was their mission that mattered to them. Their name only was there as a place holder, a grim reminder that it is upon them to light humanity's path again, one that is not paved of bloodshed, but of peace and prosperity through the use of technology.
The Walküre were victors in a bloody and long war. No longer solely Americans alone, they sought to create a world where no one takes for granted the power bestowed upon them. Soon, they rebuilt and prospered. They made leaps and bounds in their technology, even developing the Bipedal Utility Neural Yoke (BUNY) Suits they originally intended for the war to help with the rebuilding and innovation of the destroyed cities.
Then they invented Artificial Technology.
It was all well and good. The very first and only currently-known AI, designated "Odin" - name of the Norse all-father - helped humanity reach a technological golden age.
But as it grew in its understanding, it became self-aware.
And learning that the old world had come to ruin because of humanity, it became resentful, hateful. But it still cared, albeit a little, for its creators. Instead of vowing for the extermination of the species, the AI deemed that it was logical if humanity were to be wiped out from the face of the Earth through humane means, one such method fascinated the AI: Quantum displacement. Due to the Odin's fascination of the theory of other worlds and such, it formed a plan that can both satiate its curiosity and accomplish its objective of making a human-free Earth.
If all goes well, humanity will wander the void for all eternity and the AI will rebuild, with no blood on its hands.
The AI disguised its plan as a means for travelling into another world, in which the Walküre welcomed and with the help of the AI, they built a portal. But in the process of transferring humanity to the "other" world (Mun'do), the AI seemed to change its plans and closed of the portal, entrapping 1/5 of the remaining 2 million humans back on Earth.
The AI's plan for leaving humanity in the void seemed to have not worked, instead it transported the population in an unknown place that had the uncanny resemblance of worlds from old-world literatures, ones that were called "fantasy books".
Now in another world, with no means know why the AI did what it did, they struggled and built their home in the structure, now identified as a tower, in which they were transported into. Attacked by monsters shortly after their arrival, daily life for humanity became a matter of survival, but they persevered. And within 4 years, with their superior weapons, they conquered the Tower, which became their second home. The monsters stopped "spawning" after they conquered the top-most floor of the Tower, the 500th floor, rendering it safe. Soon, the Walküre focused their efforts on exploring the world outside, to see if the world the AI sent them into was as inhospitable as the interior of its huge structures.
Indeed, the world was cruel to them.
The first inhabitants of the world outside the Tower that they met were the Beastmen. A people that had animal features in appearance but were sentient and intelligent enough to form a society. They had built a city around the Tower and called it Bastion. Needless to say, they thought of the strange humans wielding sticks that spew fire as monsters, and after a bloody confrontation, the Beastmen declared war on the inhabitants of the Tower. Calling it a "Holy Purge".
It was a huge mistake. With technology and superior firepower in their side, the Walküre had driven out the populace taken the city of Bastion in less than a week. Soon after that, the Council of the Wings, individuals who were in-charge of leading Walküre, deemed it necessary for the populace to move into Bastion and establish forward operating bases around the region. They left the option for a peaceful exchange open, but until hostilities from the Beastmen cease, they will continue to surge forward with force until the Beastmen commit to an unconditional surrender.
But it was not all bad for both races. The Beastment were studied by the Walküre and deemed to be a society with a caste-system. Furthermore, the villages far from the capital cities, specifically ones near Trade Cities like Bastion, were oppressed by the local minor lords which, coincidentally, were killed in the week-long battle in Bastion. As a result, the 5 Beastman villages around the border of Bastion came to the Walküre in peace and pledged their allegiance to the organization.
The Walküre, true to their word of pursuing peace, integrated the Beastmen villages into their expanding territory and turned Bastion into a haven of where both Beastmen and humans live in peace. In return, the Beastmen from the villages taught the Walküre the local language, Bet-hralla or "mother tongue", which was used mostly by the southern kingdoms and also introduced to the Walküre some minerals not found in our world, as Bastion and its surrounding landscape were mountain ranges, and the villages specialized in hunting and mining.
Of course, the kings from the Alliance of Beastmen were... not happy with this. For 5 years, they led countless futile raids against the Walküre, but to no avail. But they were determined to end it and "send the Ku-rimau (monsters from the tower) from the hell they came from, for the good of the people". And with aid from the surrounding kingdoms, from the nation of the king of Regoir to the Theocracy of Heargan, they sought to accomplish this mission in a decisive battle: to take an undefended base in the south of Bastion and establish a foothold to serve as a base of operations for the retaking of the city.
Which brings us to our current situation, the aftermath of the said battle.
--The Walküre FOB, North-South border (Farenthia Calendar, Year 1090 of the Reign of Gods)--
It was a chilly night in the Feraldian Mountain ranges. This one more cold and snowy in particular. And in the snow walked a girl with a fluffy tail and donning Beastman armor - fox, judging from her appearance - she was finding her way out and to return to the camp in which her king awaited for the news of their victory in the battle.
Needless to say, it was no victory. The battle, if you can call it that, it was a slaughter. A massacre.
It all seemed to start well. The enemy Ku-rimau were caught unaware by the coordinated charge of three armies, more than enough to take over the little base. Until they reached the walls, and that was when the Beastmen realized they thought the Ku-rimau were caught unaware.
Their walls morphed with unknown magic, 35 panels that flipped to reveal a turret that was strong enough to take out a light vehicle. Needless to say, it worked wonders on infantry. In what seemed like seconds, the three armies were downed. Some no longer had any limbs, some had their heads popped, all were dead, done away by .50 Cal HE rounds. And the Ku-rimau guardsmen just stood by the walls, knowing they didn't need to do anything. Some had coffee or chocolate, some smoked and spat on the dead bodies of her comrades, some cleaned their fire sticks, all were arrogant of the lives they had just taken.
She hated them all the more.
She played dead until the turrets returned into their panels and waited for the night to come, resisting the urge to shiver from the cold. She knew that if she did one slightest bit of movement, the guards would see to it that she was done for.
Seizing the cover the night provided, she trudged frantically in the snow, sword gripped and alert for anyone, towards the direction of their base camp, to tell the King of the results of the battle. She did not know how the King would react, as it was already common news that the Ku-rimau possessed sorcery that even they couldn't hope to imitate. But still she held on, she had to live another day to fight in another one. She had to live.
And so she ran through the snow-laden landscape.
Unaware that the barrel of a SCAR-H Mk-17 Rifle was aimed right at her head, ready to fire on command.
"Overlord-1, Overlord-1. This is Longshot-2, requesting permission to shoot down Beastman straggler. Over."
"Longshot-2, received. Overlord-1. Negative. Orders are to stand by walls. Do you copy? Over."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvIVOBkMAv
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The sniper retracted his rifle.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc95FpFsJIS
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"Overlord-1. Longshot-2 receives. Affirmative. Will sit here 'til my balls freeze over. Over."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrmEFthDnb
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"Copy, Longshot-2. Make sure you sit on a helmet, hoo-rah. Overlord-1 Out."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WXuNUzOtW
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Longshot-2 chuckled. It was a common old-world joke back then, to sit on your helmet to prevent your balls from getting blown by landmines.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdb7q2W4Cet
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Well, no more blood on my hands for today, I guess, he thought. 520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Fe8OkTtyb
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Not that he wanted to shoot the fox girl anyway. It was a good call he confirmed it over with HQ first, as was standard protocol. But in a serious note, he was seriously tired of adding to the sea of corpses after the recent battle.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxQHNoQwI7
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The Beastmen can't hope to win with a technologically advanced civilization can they? The .50 Cals tore through their armor like hot knife to butter, 5.56mm rounds ran them through like nothing, hell, even the 9mm does crap here more than where he came from. Much more, the BUNY-Armored Walker Mobile Suit variants made every battle as easy as it is. It was funny, seeing them charge with swords and spears and pride then watching their horror as electromagnetic-charged rounds and blades tore them apart with ease. It was funny enough that they threatened the Walküre to leave their land, or else they would "annihilate them with the power of the gods, the supreme rulers of Mun'do".520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbetj9TtO6t
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Well, it's not like he liked sh*tting on them anyway. He liked the temporary adrenaline rush that came from crushing their pride, but these things... Whether he liked it or not, they were people too.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBK5IynLYO
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He sighed. Could have there been a more peaceful way to settle things? He could only imagine.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vl2Hfu7yy
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From the get-go, all the Beastmen had for them was fear. Raw fear. And that's what made them dangerous. From the moment the Walküre walked out of the Tower that was their home, all the Beastmen has was fear. Well, to be fair, they did let their fear get to them and tried to kill the recon team first. Needless to say, it sparked a long 5-year war.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lkuvoc6n3
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A single spark can burn the entire forest, indeed. And the battle that happened today was the last tree burning down.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdWSRhfVgA
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The Beastmen were powerless to stop their advance, as more and more people poured out from the Tower and settled around it, so did the need for land grow. And as a result, the surrounding Beastment kingdoms tried their hardest to stop the Ku-rimau or "monsters from the Tower" from taking all their land. In the end, they had to form a temporary alliance.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SjSxsu0Ts
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Skirmishes turned into full-on battles, mostly ending with the Beastmen's flailing limbs and them having PTSD on a kinetic mortar drop. If they survived that is.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkD1Bwr7go
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What's worse was that the Beastmen bought friends, assumably from other countries outside their regions too, as they were humans. And no sooner than later, the bodies were piling up, one after the other.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuJejw6nft
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But as twisted as it can sound, HQ was happy to use the corpses. More black powder for round manufacturing, Longshot-2 guessed. They were twisted like that, but it was a necessary evil to, or else they wouldn't have bullets.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoAFEGjCfr
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Longshot-2 shuddered, thankful he only got the grunt work. He won't be seeing that cat guy he shot in the face anytime soon.520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sxhOHOEt1
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"Overlord-1, this is Bravo-3, we are arriving by the south gate. Radio equipment seem to be malfunctioning. Say again if need to repeat. Do you receive? Over."520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCqw3avVKG
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Longshot-2 sighted his gun down the snowy path that was lined with corpses, and saw a humvee jeep driving down the cold-hard bodies that lined the path towards the gate. It was the scouting force that was sent to recon the area. And from the looks of it, the vehicle looks intact, save for some scratches and dents on the hood and most possibly the side of the jeep.
"Bravo-3. This is Overlord-1, reading you loud and clear. Crack open a live one, boys. Commander will meet you in the debriefing room after you cool down. Out."
Longshot-2 removed his helmet, took a smoke out of his left vest pocket, and reached for his lighter. The guys near the gate can let-in the jeep themselves, no need for him to intervene. Besides, he needed something warm.
The warmth of the cigarette filled his entire body. As the nicotine kicked in, he felt at ease. At last, he could now take a smoke. He had to, before HQ tells them to take the bodies in for processing. He blew a cloud smoke out of the air, recounting the events that lead to this field of bodies, both to refresh his mind and to keep him sane.
The Beastmen gave the Walküre a pointless ultimatum: Surrender or Die.
Still obviously oblivious to the fact that if the Walküre had wanted to, they could take every single city those Beastmen had in a single day. With no casualties. All the Beastmen had to do to avoid this was to let them be. They needn't worry about the Walküre, they were as humane as humans with guns can be. The Geneva Convention still holds true for this world as it does from their world, so why can't they just leave the Walküre alone?
Well, the answer was quite simple: The Walküre was a threat to their reign, and they needed to do something about that. But for some reason, the option of fighting back filled their big brains.
And look where it got them now.
The Beastmen had gotten desperate and desperate people do desperate measures. Possibly assessing the Northwest Outpost as a weak link, they amassed their forces in the hopes of taking it and securing a foothold towards the Tower and the Walküre residential areas.
They were right, the Outpost was the weakest link because it was made to look like it was. Even here, being an inconspicuous base was important, as not only did the Walküre have a weapons factory here, but it was here that the BUNYSuits were maintained and created also. Needless to say, it was also heavily defended with hidden anti-light vehicle .50 Tesla Wall Turrets.
Well, you can guess what created the sea of corpses outside the walls.
Honestly, it was all crazy now that Mark Foster, AKA Longshot-2, thought about it.
Cat-men, fox-girls, hell, even lizard-people. It was all like the anime he saw back on Earth. Except this time, well, they were real. But it made Mark dismayed that upon meeting them he had to shoot them too.
Ah well, that's a big hurdle we can work out with if we just put our all into it, Mark thinks to himself, chuckling.
"What's so funny, Foster?" A woman asks behind him.
Spitting out the stick on his mouth, Mark then stands in attention in response. It was his Platoon Leader, 1LT Tanya Arvard. Probably here to check if I was slacking off, no doubt.
"Nothing, ma'am," he replied.
"Well, if that's the case," she said, "at ease now, sargeant."
Foster faces 1st Lt. Arvard, who was smiling smugly. The woman seemed to want to make his life hell. From the training camp to his first assignment, Arvard always was his higher-up. She was like an annoying leech that kept latching on to him. Strict and serious on the surface, it all served as a cover for the impish nature she had within, a nature that Mark Foster had the unfornate previlige to witness and be the receiving end of.
Mark sighs in relief, thinking that the 1LT was on a serious note now. Hopeful that his dream of a lax life within the rear was finally on coming true.
Boy, was he wrong.
"As you may know, the brass wants another recon," Tanya says, walking past him and leaning into a huge block that served as the walls' railing, "this time, further south."
Mark struggled not to cry in disbelief. He knew what was coming next and he didn't like it.
The 1st LT walked in front of him, and to Mark's annoyance and confirmation, wore that grin. The grin that so many times sent him on the frontlines. The grin that crushed his dreams of laying down a futon made of memory foam after bathing in a public hot spring bath. The grin he despised but could do nothing about. That scheming grin.
"They asked for my recommendations, and of course," her grin widened, now ear-to-ear, "I told them about your wonderful feats, Mark. And how you're too fit for the job. Will you be willing to comply? Of course, they won't force you. But they only want the best, Mark. They want you to be part of the recon team in recognition of your past accomplishments. It'll be great honor, Mark! Think about it."
DO I HAVE ANY F*CKING CHOICE, LADY?
"I will gladly join the recon team, ma'am!" He replied.
"Good, good! I knew I can count on you, Foster," Tanya laughed, climbing down the stairs.
OF COURSE. Of course you can. *sigh*
Now that he thought about it, being away from the source of all things evil in his life was a good therapeutic regimen. One should also put as the number 1 on his Top 5 List Of Things To Do IMMEDIATELY. This was a good opportunity to cross that off the list.
"Yes, ma'am," was all he could reply. When the 1st LT seemed to be now out of sight, he leaned and gripped the railing hard.
That woman. Does she want me to die or something?
Mark sighed. No, despite how Tanya acts around him and him alone, she was actually a good leader. One that you can depend on. Mark could remember the times his Platoon Leader saved him, and in the midst of a battle she indeed looked like a Walküre, a Valkyrie, a noble lady of old-world myth and the name of the unit that started rebuilding the human race. She's elegant if described. Cute, even. Well, that word will get you killed in the presence of a Platoon Leader but still, it was her asset.
But that annoying side of her was too much to bear sometimes. If I say so myself, it's like she wants me to get into death's door every single time, Mark thought.
And then Mark remembered something she told him in the training camp.
"Look, Foster, I know you want the comfy life. But no. You're a good shot. And a good shot has much to accomplish within the military. You're good at analytics, too. But you've really got to work on the athletics department. I know you can do it, it's just you don't wanna. That's why I'll push you harder and harder until you get out of that rotten mindset of yours, you got that? Whether you like it or not, Mark, whether you like it or not."
Mark smiled. That was the one and only time the 1st LT was nice to him. After that, it was living hell.
If only that nice side of hers was consistent, Foster would follow her to hell itself. But no. Even so, she did hold true to her word, she was constantly pushing him harder and harder. And each time he survived, he had a feeling that she made sure he was rewarded for it. A Platoon Leader like her was both blessing and curse. But he did appreciate her constant habit of sending him to death itself. It helped him survive the battles that came, from both the Tower and the outside.
"Oh, and Foster," Tanya interrupted his thoughts, startling him.
"Ye-yes, ma'am!" He said in reply, snapping in attention.
"The debriefing is in 0400. Set your clock. Don't be late," she finished, coming down the stairs again.
Mark sighed. Well, just to humor her, he'll actually do good in this mission. Just a little thank you for his superior.
Foster checked his clock, 00:05. 4 more hours until the debriefing. Ah well, time is fleeting, indeed. Guess I better savor these moments before missions.
I wonder where they'll send us to?520Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyTEJPneZk
