Life and Death are Lovers on a Coffee Date

Chapter 4

[Einherjar Battlefront, 7:30,

Country of Fhorn]

2 years had passed since the visit with no return of Nasus. Seasons come to gather and leave in the fields of the barracks, so early in the morning are followed by the jog of his underlings with a cadence lead by the earned name of a Captain Nasus of the army services. Due to his excelling and wide range of knowledge in many areas and scenarios, he was promoted drastically setting a record in history, although he was proposed of a position in the noncommissioned council, he refused many times as he vowed that if a battle will occur, he will not stand behind grounds and let his pupils die but rather fight along with them.

Nasus blew his whistle as well as the song goes that all rookies learned to love.

"Ready boys? The mate was drunk and he went below to take a swig at his bottle o" Nasus sang his solo then followed by his mates,

"So early in the morning, the sailor likes his bottle-o!",

The jogging crowd sang livelily. The song was taught by his other captain friend, Tane, a Taurus with muscle for a brain. After Nasus had his first pupils, he trained them to death, which is unknown to Nasus as he was a guard of Shuriman and that training is nearly nothing but basics. He was then dubbed as the ruthless Anubis who worked them to death and gathered their souls after. Nasus then saw Tane getting along with his pupils as well as the other captains, so he decided to join him for a chat one night, and there, Tane taught him a shanty that is sung now.

"A bottle of rum, a bottle o' gin, a bottle of Irish whiskey o" Nasus turned his head to check on his pupils, reminding him of his time as a rookie himself.

"So early in the morning the sailor likes his bottle o!" the crowd roared enthusiastically while huffing and puffing. In his times, he learned things he never expressed in his times in Shurima, although he was compassionate of his people, he never let his soft side show, no not even as he smelled the sweet smelling barbeques. He whimpered on the inside.

"So early in the morning, the sailor likes his bottle-o"

"A lass from the pool- "

"Captain Nasus," A grouchy voice interrupted their session, halting everyone as commanded by their superior captain.

"Good morning, General Major Spike," Nasus raised his salute and so did the nervous recruits; Spike had a figure of a chubby human, small on his size as he abused his position on the noncommissioned officer. Spike chewed on his right cheek as if snickering underneath his breath.

"Have we not spoken about joining the inferior ranks in their daily basis activities and- "the general peeked at the recruits with disgust and spite, "Encouraging them? The military services take all matters seriously with strict conduct and integrity, if you waste your time in the commissioners then your potential is limited. You should be lucky we're offering a seat in the office despite you being a hybrid. Even so, if they follow your softened lead and 'singing' the lads will soon turn mellow unfit for war, but it looks like they already did." Spike said in a grumpy voice, must've skipped breakfast. Racism against hybrids had long existed ever since, named with many callings, disfigured, abnormal, pets, mutation, and anything else. Humans had always been greedy for power and so, they mock everything that may seem more powerful than them. But other nations accepted hybrids as one of their kind like the country of Eden.

"With all due respect sir, I've seen your 'strict' conduct turn people into weapons sent into war as the noncommissioned officers sat back at their seats earning the medals of those who had lost their limbs, their family, and their lives. These people under my command are yet to see war but until then, under my oath will I train them until that time comes. Until the time they can go back to their life completely and happily will they wear the medals they've earned." Nasus spoke calmly looking down at the small imp sized general who was now chattering his teeth, his brows turned together.

"Now if you excuse us, we appreciate your service for this country." Nasus continued his jogs followed by his entourage who viewed their captain in a new light, this earned the general a tint of anger.

The truth is, Nasus was always offered many options to excel in the highest ranks but his will to be deployed and fight alongside others refuted the promotion, instead, he gained power even as an inferior rank given by the highest rank himself. Due to this, the commission office now earned high respect but many non-commissioned officers still subdue this fact and treat them as inferiors. Nasus had taken many people under his wing, as many as he could, but that also exhausted himself due to being held accountable in many missions and deployments. Many of his people suffered from the misjudgment and calls of operation made by the noncommissioned officers, therefore, he requested special permission that if he must disobey the noncommission call, it would be for the better.

Finally returning back to his tent, Nasus sat at bedside. After two years of training, with his passive strength speed and intelligence, Nasus was feared even by his troops, although they seem to warm up to him after they knew that he was protecting them all in the background, lest they be deployed in a random mission and killed as the noncommissioned officers had planned. Since then, his reputation took hold of many people's hearts without the captain's conscience. But, something still rattled in Nasus' mind, he felt incomplete, sure serving the country and guiding the people in this plane relieved him, but something was missing. Nasus slowly caressed the torn green handkerchief rounded up on his neck, taking in the moment as he whiffed the fragment,

"Something is missing," he thought over his head, "What am I missing?" he further questioned, furring his brow deep in thought while staring at the solid soil below him.

"Ca- AH!" a woman shouted tripping from an invisible bump of nothing in the dirt, after regaining her composure she said once again, "C-captain!" saluting her back while staring at the tent of the roof above. Nasus caught a glimpse of her badge, "a private huh," Nasus thought. A small petit, 5'5 at most, and visibly shaking, she's nervous.

"Calm down private, it's fine I don't bite, no need for formalities," Nasus reassured the prey- the nervouse wreck, it seemed like one year of commuting with his soldiers, he slowly learned how to calm people down as they talked to him.

"GeneralCamille calledupon yourpresencethisinstance!" the rabbit still in position, with the awkward silence, Nasus followed,

"General Camille?" raising the end of the one hinting at a question.

"GeneralCamille isinneed ofyour presencecaptain!" Every word she had rapped made Nasus' ears twitch, but he doesn't seem fazed at all.

"Don't worry little one, calm down, let's talk casually," the girl took a moment to regain her composure, sighing in deep breaths. Nasus thought he was doing a good job, resisting the urge to let his tail wag. "What are you so afraid of?" Nasus questioned.

"Sorry sir... but you looked really depressed when I found you and it looked like you could snap my head at any moment,"

"Oh so it wasn't my face then?" Nasus felt a little relieved. She then realized who she was talking to and with both hands in sudden force, slapped both sides of her cheek.

"I'm so sorry captain, I didn't mean to say that, I was- "cutting her off, Nasus tapped a pat on top of her head, hushing tone followed by a small grin,

"Don't worry, everyone has always treated me this way, I'm just glad that someone had the courage to tell me. You're strong, Private, great job." Nasus tapped her shoulder and then made his way to the general. After leaving the tent with a proud thought, the same rabbit called out,

"Sir! What's your name?" the rabbit screeched, seriously, can her tone ever exist? It's static!

"My name? It's Nasus.

"Nasus, an old Shuriman guard who excels in knowledge and strength. Unknowingly favored by the god, Set."