A Promise To Fulfill

Beginning of the End

Rhine-Ruhr Region, Germany
April 1945

The allies started to press on towards the heart of our nation. Nothing was stopping them. The Soviets did the same from the east. We were only delaying the inevitable. I knew that our only chance of survival was to surrender. But if we do, we would most likely be shot by one of our own officers. Surrender was not an option after all. This marked the beginning of the end.

We were stationed somewhere in the Ruhr region of the Rhineland. We were about to cross the bridge to a town nearby to try to stop the allies from entering the Rhineland. We were preparing for the fight that was about to start. Nicolaus and Magnus were taking out the empty shells while Gabriel and Finn were trying to fix the mechanical issues of the tank. I was outside the tank, reviewing the reports and plans.

I climbed inside the tank to see how my crew was doing. "Status report?" I asked them. "Almost finished removing the empty shells. We've stocked up on available ammo." Nicolaus reported. "We couldn't fix some issues of the radio, but it should work just fine," Finn reported. "Glad to know. Best you guys do your business before we leave." I replied to everyone. They all nodded and left the tank, but Magnus stayed inside.

As the rest left, Magnus sat beside me and asked, "Is everything okay?". "Yeah, I'm just nervous. That's all," I replied to him. He knew what was going through my mind and held my cheeks and kissed me on the lips. "Whatever happens, we'll look out for each other. Just like what you said right from the start." He said reassuringly as he pulled away from the kiss. I looked at him and blushed for a moment. "I'm just glad to have a crew like all of four of you," I told him. 

"So you two are now lovebirds now, eh?" Nicolaus said jokingly while standing on top of the cupola. I looked at him in a bit of surprise and jokingly asked, "Can't give people some privacy, can't you?" He looked at both of us (Me and Magnus) and laughed as he entered the tank. "With Magnus around? It's impossible not to!" He replied. Magnus punched him in the arm and Nicolaus shouted at him, throwing more jokes at him.

"Enough with the horseplay you two," I told the two. Nicolaus tried to point fingers but I told him not to shift the blame since he was the one who started it. After that, Finn and Gabriel entered the tank, not knowing what had happened. "So, are we ready to go?" Gabriel asked me. Right at that moment, Oberkommando came over the radio and told me to get my division moving.

"Alright. Let's move out and stick to our objective. Panzer Vor!" I ordered to my crew and division. Soon, we started to move out of the town and to cross the bridge, connecting the Rhine-Ruhr region with the other town ahead. As our convoy crossed the bridge, we saw soldiers preparing explosives to blow up the bridge, just in case things go wrong.

"Hey Kommandantin," Finn asked, "Why couldn't we just blow up the bridge and keep the enemy on the other side?". I looked at him and replied, "Because we're not stepping back. We're moving forward." He nodded in acknowledgment and remained in his seat, listening to the radio for any orders or reports. As we crossed the bridge, we saw other soldiers preparing defenses. There were some tanks, anti-tank guns, sandbags, and a lot of equipment being set up across multiple buildings and streets. "So this is our defense, huh?" Nicolaus asked in curiosity. "It seems to be," I answered. 

We continued through the town until we reached the frontline. Before reaching there, we saw some men with their hands tied behind their backs with signs on them. Some of the signs said, "I am a traitor," While another said, "I am a coward.". "What's gonna happen to them?" Nicolaus asked me. "Something barbaric," I replied hesitantly. We continued to drive through the town until we had reached the frontlines.

Upon reaching the lines, we were greeted with heavy fire from the allies. They had brought tanks of their own and they took out our lead tank. I ordered my Panzers to take defensive positions around the ruined buildings. The infantry started to defend our current positions and fired upon allied infantry. "Achtung! A group of enemy tanks is spotted at twelve o'clock! Take them out!" I ordered to my division. Some of our Panther tanks fired at the allied tanks, taking some of them out. A Sherman Firefly was seen and fired at one of our own Panthers, rendering it inoperable. The crew evacuated the tank right before it exploded. We fired at that Sherman Firefly and destroyed the tank with one shot.