I sat up in the hammock, awakened by the sound of a roaring engine. When I looked up, I saw Jane, absorbed, staring out of the tent. Peeking out, I noticed the gazes of many soldiers, some excited, others genuinely frightened by the steel machines roaring with their pistons.
On top of one of the tanks was a man with a gaunt face, his fingers ravaged by a lifetime of metalworking. He was soaked in oil, and the smell of fuel reached me.
I couldn't hide it, I didn't expect these degenerates to have it so quickly.
It was hard to see the man I'd spoken to on the mountain. That lifeless man had disappeared. He was full of life and happiness. He reminded me a bit of Tech.
—My Lord! Did I do a good job? I have you to thank! I haven't felt alive in a long time. The challenge was wonderful. The bullets, the fuel, the carefully forged armor—did I live up to your expectations?
I don't know how I heard it over the roar of the powerful engines. The truth is, I didn't know the chemical formula for the fuel, nor did I tell them what the metal alloy was like. I only explained how an engine worked and the armor in detail; everything else was vague terms I remembered.
So I expected them to take a while (or not to give them to me at all), but if one thing was clear to me, it was that magic is amazing. I walked slowly toward the man while straightening my trench coat; I obviously didn't know him; I'd given the plans to Sabimbi.
Honestly, when I asked, I thought they knew more about modern weapons, but it seemed they only specialized in rifles. So far, nothing like mortars or howitzer-style field guns had been sighted. In other words, their most advanced military technology was bombs. I wonder how many Goldes has?
I didn't mean they didn't exist; they just hadn't appeared in a war yet. Of course, when I ordered them, I didn't know this. The reason I ordered the tanks was for the armor. But judging by this guy's face, they didn't rest; they worked until they managed to forge and create the first war beasts.
I climbed onto the tank next to the man and shook his hand.
—Sir, thank you so much for letting me guide this beautiful project. Using your ideas, I configured a magic-powered engine. But I reduced the magical load by using steam.
I suppose the man had opted for that route because they don't know how to process oil. I gave him a smile.
—Do you remember your name?
— My name is Douglas, sir.
—If you loved fighting so much to create this monster… What if I told you I could give you the clues to conquer the sky?
I told him in a low voice so that no one else would hear, but the macabre and ramshackle smile he gave me was like that of a child seeing a candy store for the first time in his life. Douglas simply couldn't hide his excitement. With a wave of his hands, I told him to wait and I climbed into the turret.
I looked around me. Little by little, everyone fell silent, and only the roar of the engines could be heard. With over 100 millimeters of blasted steel, an 88-millimeter barrel, and a weight of 57 tons, the Panzer IV, or better known to its adversaries (like myself): the Tiger I.
Although I fought with much more advanced versions of many other types of Tigers, I remembered this bastard's characteristics perfectly, because it was the first tank my parents told me about, and I studied in the army. I won't forget your lessons either, old friend...
"My brothers! This is just the beginning of what we're capable of! With these beasts of war, we will make the bastard who took your freedom tremble! The one who took your loved ones! This is nothing more than our hatred materialized! It's time the gods knew their place!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, using my loudest voice.
War cries spread. I got out of the tank. Within minutes, the entire city, which had remained fairly optimistic and happy, had erupted into relatively macabre happiness.
I approached the gentleman, Ashley and the boys approached me, Azumi dragged a stunned Jane.
"I don't just want more tanks. I'm presenting you with another, more difficult project, one I know even less about." I told Goldes.
He just nodded, looking like an excited chihuahua, unable to hide his excitement.
—In order to take to the skies, look at birds. They have to be light, but the engine needs the force to force the air against the wings. Forgive me for being cryptic, but this is as far as my knowledge goes. However, I have this to help you. I quickly took a pen out of my pocket. When I looked up, the man handed me a sheet of paper. Using the tank as a support, I drew him the first German jet, and also the only design I remembered for a bomber, specifically the B-17. While I still had the design for a B-22, which, at least to my ego, wasn't German, I would save it until I managed to make a jet first. With my clues, which were really just random pieces of information I was remembering, I felt extremely stupid asking for something practically impossible.
But before I could think of anything else, the man took off running, hopping like Little Red Riding Hood. He went off at an absurd speed, which reminded me he'd just arrived and would be walking back to the base. I could see a couple of men in overalls following him, but they were so tired that every inch of their bodies ached to keep up with the old man's speed.
"It's amazing my dad was able to do this," Tech said as he ran his hands over the metal.
We all immediately turned to look at Tech and gave him a look of surprise.
"Come on... Was that crazy guy your father?" Ashley asked.
—Uh, yeah... You thought my parents were dead too? —Tech set a trap for him.
—Honestly, the strange thing is that even Sean and Ashley, who are from another world, are still alive… Well, you know what they are. —Azumi replied.
"I'd like to laugh... But that's not exactly a joke..." Grayson said as he ran his hand over his forehead, his melancholic look a little discouraging.
—You never really told us what happened to you… —Doc added.
"I've already told you about my parents' gadget shop. When they came for us, my parents refused to leave. The soldiers burned the shop down... But let's remember, the shop was really a workshop. Like any workshop, it was full of dangerous things. The explosion... It killed my older sister and my mother. I survived because my sister threw me to the ground... It's hard to get it out of my memory," Tech said, his eyes watering.
—We understand you better than anyone, Tech, but I know from experience that it's best to vent. —I'm trying to help, Azumi.
—No… I don't think you understand. My sister's bones were stuck in my skin like daggers, it's something I'll never be able to forgive, and killing those soldiers wasn't enough… You know? My father still held onto his sanity, even though he saw my mother's body bleed out rapidly, and saw his own daughter explode. He clung to me, but what he saw that day was what left his mark… My father was an exaggeratedly peaceful man, maybe that's why he never recovered. I grabbed the sharpest piece of debris I could find and slit the throat of the first soldier I came across. They managed to shoot me in the shoulder, but at that moment, I don't remember feeling even the slightest bit of pain. I grabbed his gun and killed the one who'd shot me… He died too quickly. The third, his friend, wasn't so lucky. I tore out his eyes and beat him until what had once been a face was nothing more than a bizarre mass of flesh and bones. That's something I think we all have in this group, no, in this army, hatred, yes, I got my revenge, but the reality is that it doesn't fill the void… —Tech responded.
—Even with those words, I still don't refuse to let him live…
I interrupted Azumi.
"The wounds will heal once we're able to close them, once we can say goodbye, but I really don't think they'll stop hurting. You just learn to live with the pain," I said.
"That's what we've been doing, isn't it?" Ashley changed her tone to a more cheerful one, which relieved some of the pressure in the air.
Jane remained silent, as if analyzing what we had just said with extreme care. She was attentive to her, because she was undoubtedly the worst off of all of us, so many years without a response, so much pain received.
—By the way… I can understand why you gave them old tanks, but German ones? —Ashley asked.
—Being my opponents, I know their vehicles better than I do my own. Don't blame me, blame six years of military training in high school.
"You didn't know anything about airplanes, and you gave him a German jet, and it's old, I heard you." Ashley attacked again.
"Again, I know our new weapons, not our old ones, and I didn't think they'd be capable of making the older one. Obviously, I found it impossible for them to build the newer one. I can also draw an F-11, but I don't have the slightest idea what a turbojet is," I replied.
"Can they really fly those machines?" Mason asked.
"Trust my dad. He may be a little loose now, but just as we fight with everything we've got, I know he does it his way. He built the tanks, didn't he?" Tech replied.
—Indeed, and yes, where I come from the war is much more advanced than here, and that in itself is a huge advantage.
Someone arrived hooded and handed me an envelope with an insignia. I quickly recognized the insignia; it was from the Allied Empire. Goldes had sent me a letter.
I read it carefully and let the messenger leave. The instructions were the time and place. In four days, the meeting of the gods will be held, and I have to avoid supporting the fire god, take advantage of it, and annoy him. If I can get him to attack me without thinking about what he's doing, the job will be much easier.
The letter detailed all the security measures, including my departure and arrival cards. I handed the letter to Ashley.
—Well, gentlemen, we're officially about to start marching. Take your last few breaks and spread the word. Mason, give them two days off; they deserve it… Even though they don't really need it, I'm worried they'll go into battle mentally tired.
-Understood.
Ashley and I headed back to the store, we had work to do, Azumi and Jane followed us.
"Where's Frost, by the way?" I asked.
—He asked me for the day off today, said he wanted to walk around the city. He'd been working hard and didn't ask me until the stress subsided, so I let him.
—I still haven't spoken to her since you gave her a high rank.
Frost Valdergarth
Clank and I visited the city during our break. Seeing it thrilled me; I never thought I'd see a city as bustling with life as this again.
People were running around working for their future, just as we were fighting for that same future. People couldn't stop smiling at having been saved; several people even clapped and whistled at us for being in the military. They recognized us by our uniforms, because to be honest, I don't look military, and Clank looks more like a brothel model, with fine features, extremely blond hair, and green eyes. He's a very attractive man.
"I didn't realize we don't have a name as an army," Clank mentioned next to me.
—I think it's something trivial.
—And how are we going to have a presence if we don't have a name? Facing an army called the Black Skulls isn't the same as facing an army called the Fluffy Sheep.
—But it's different. We don't have an official name, so the name will be based on our actions. Besides, I think the general has already mentioned before that we are the liberation army or the resistance.
—Sure, but someday we'll have to have a name, I think.
"Maybe you're right, but I don't think it's necessary for now." I smiled at him.
"What we did in this city was incredible." He snapped his fingers and gave me a cocky grin.
It felt refreshing. We fought so hard for this, suffering for years because of the fire god. For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel tired and exhausted. I was full of energy, ready to fight.
—Yeah, for a moment there, I felt like no matter who came, we'd win. When we were with Mason, Ashley, and the general in the trenches, I really was completely overwhelmed by adrenaline.
—Honestly, I had a hard time keeping up; I could barely keep up, but even I gave it my all in those trenches.
—Unlike me, nothing was taken from you; you're just being altruistic.
"You can't take anything from me if I don't have anything you can take from me. However... Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
"Yes, I'm happy," I said, smiling.
—You've changed... I think you're not happy just killing anymore. You used to do it just to kill because it filled your emptiness.
—I started dreaming, he allowed me to.
"Now you want to live next to the general and have a house on the beach?" I raise an eyebrow.
I walked forward and turned around to face him, smiled at him, and hugged him.
"I want to do it, but with you." He blushed and accepted the hug.
He gently pushed me back and looked into my eyes.
—If it's with you, it doesn't matter where you want to be.
Absorbed in each other's gaze, and although for a moment we forgot that we were surrounded by an audience, the applause and the whistles of the gossipmongers nevertheless kidnapped me from my "perfect romantic" moment.
—Don't worry, let's go to camp.
I had become embarrassed and, abusing his strength, he lifted me up and sat me on his shoulders, which actually intensified the excitement of the audience.
He ran away from the crowd in the direction of the camp, his footsteps echoing on the rocks that made the walking paths.
—You didn't have to do that. —I ducked my head to purposely obstruct Clank's view.
—But what…—We fell because we were running without vision when we crashed into a lamppost.
"Oh! What idiots!" Rango, who was supposed to be walking this way, mocked and burst into laughter.
"I swear, that laugh is going to cost you dearly." I got angry at Rango, who was literally running out of air from laughing.
"For that you have to catch me," Rango mocked, although the bastard didn't even deign to run. "Take care, boys, enjoy these moments, we don't know if we'll die tomorrow."
"I don't plan on dying tomorrow," I replied as I stood up.
"Nobody does." He smiled and left.
But nothing in this world will take this moment away from me.
"I love you, Clank. You followed me even to war. You protected me and saved my life." While I expressed my feelings, I played with his hair, making small furrows.
—I'm selfish. I don't care about people or cities, but if it's for you… I'll fight for the future you want.
I couldn't see his face but his voice became soft.
"You were the one who saved me from the same fate my family suffered." I sighed deeply, making one last selfish wish. "Clank... if I ever die... please don't stop fighting."
He stopped dead in his tracks before answering me.
—Why? I don't want to think about that. You won't die, I won't allow it, don't say that.
—Clank, you're one of the best soldiers in the army. Mason asked you to join his group, and you refused because of me.
—Anyway… Don't ask me that. Don't make me think of a world without you.
Silence fell upon us; for a moment, the happiness that surrounded us had evaporated, but that was only an illusion. The world had remained the same; in fact, it was a little better now.
These people need Clank a lot more than I need him. They need him a lot more than they need me.