The Silver Seer

Chapter 31: Black Smoke

Reko has no idea just how long he's been running. As soon as he heard what his captain's father said, both about the deaths of his adoptive parents and his plan for Kazimir during and after Forchheim, he was filled with nothing but rage toward his captain.

Why didn't he tell Reko earlier? Why did he lie to all his officers about his past? Why did he lie to everyone about the Russian's goal in starting this war? Has he always been a liar? How many more lies has he told, and what is the truth behind them?

So now he's running through the pine forest at the western edge of the base, his emotions driving him to keep running. His system alerts him to obstacles such as tree roots, thorns, and the like as he runs, which are dodged with ease.

Eventually, the soft morning sunlight is completely blocked out from the thick canopy above the boy, and he stops running, allowing his system to cool down just a bit. His body is slightly warm- there is far from a high risk of him going berserk in this state, unlike Lunas.

Lunas. The mechanical soldier that Reko has just learned was all for nothing. Not only did he backfire and have to be killed by Felix, but his captain thought he was Reko and the Russians didn't want a mechanical soldier in the first place.

Reko heard the first gunshot. He ran as fast as he could towards the sound, worried his captain was hurt, as Thilo pulled him aside as soon as he arrived back from Basel-Landschaft to tell him that Lunas somehow left the underground workshop, despite Reko telling him to stay down there before leaving the night before last.

He then heard the second as he was making his way to the congregation of people and saw Rainier's body. The sight of his captain, cradling who he believed was Reko in his arms ,almost brought the boy to tears, as he imagined that he was in Lunas' place, shot to death by his captain. But he knew, if Felix shot Lunas, that meant he had gone berserk, and Reko's request, though not meant for Lunas, was fulfilled.

As he looks up at the black canopy, the boy now understands the pain his captain must have suffered in those minutes in which he believed he killed the mechanical soldier himself. They've made countless memories together, so for all those to vanish from Reko the moment a bullet is sent through his skull...

Then, to confess the pain and abuse he suffered under his father... Reko knows that some of those cuts on his captain's wrists aren't solely from his time in Germany, but also in Russia to be punished for something he wasn't at fault for.

The teenager looks around, wondering in which direction the base is. He's just about to ask his system for directions when a voice from behind stops him.

"Hello."

The teenager freezes and slowly turns around. Though it is still extremely dark, he can see a figure. His system recognizes this, and adjusts the brightness of his eyes so he can better see the figure's features. But they can only be so bright, therefore the only things the boy can see is the person's black frock coat and their blond hair.

His system fails to recognize the person standing in front of them, leading Reko to reveal his chef's knife from the sheath at his left hip. To this, the figure lets out a low laugh, yet the boy narrows his eyes.

"I am of no harm to you- I promise. I just wish to have a small conversation. Let's start with introductions, yes? My name is Rodion. What's yours?"

Rodion. Did his captain say that was his name in Russia? Is this person trying to impersonate his captain? Because if they are, Reko will- with no hesitation whatsoever- slash this person's throat wide open and watch as they die on the ground. It's unlikely anyone would find the body, as no one travels this deep into the forest in the first place, but he could also bury it, just for good measure.