Praeteritum

Chapter 02: 100 sins

I have always thought that this room was too big for my taste, I don't own enough furniture to fill it thus it is always half empty. The walls are always in a dark color, god how I hate that, it makes it seem like I'm in a cage even in the middle of the day, but this is supposed to be a perk given to the lieutenant, specially after 2 decades at war, when life seems to be stuck in a never-ending conflict.

In war life is the token they bet on their ideas, the bigger army the better their idea gets! That was how things rolled until we got her, the God forsaken Alitur.

We invoke fear in generals as one of us could easily wipe a small army and walk away unscathed, they are right to fear us! But at the same time they are wrong to cast us aside, to discriminate our existence and to ban us from society, we are different but not meant to be enemies.

I want this war to end but have no idea how to stop it, should they fear me for who I am and my destiny is to rule the humans or should I attempt to blend among them and become a writer and tell the world what I like and what I... (someone knocks on the door)

Soldier--- Lieutenant! (Knock knock knock) Are you there? (Knock knock knock)

I stood up and opened the door

Soldier--- You have been summoned by the captain

Lieutenant--- Couldn't you just tell me without attempting to break the door?

Soldier--- My apologies lieutenant, I'm just following orders

After being annoyed by this visitor, I got in my warrior attire and while I was walking through the long corridor that connects the barracks and administration, it happened.

The land beneath my feet trembled and the air got filled in dust as a very loud explosion sound startled me, as I heard the deafening sound of the alarm filled every wall with the reddish tone that we all hate.

When I got to the administration's building I found out what hell looks like, everyone running into cover as I saw a million bullets flying towards us from a big hole on the wall and as I stood there numb I felt something push me to the ground

Lilith--- Amon, Get down!!!

Amon--- Ma'am, what's happening?

Lilith--- we are being invaded, get ready to respond back, this war ends today!

Amon--- understood

I stood up and focused on the task given, I saw through the hole a small legion of enemies shooting at us and some of our own dead on the floor beneath them, my first thought was to save the remaining soldiers and attack back but we were under heavy enemy fire crippling our movements.

There was this column about supporting the roof over the big hole they just opened and it should give us enough time to move survivors out of the line of fire and attack back, a small chance, but way better than doing nothing.

From all the survivors in the line of fire I called the attention of Rem by throwing a rock at him, then pointed towards the column and he seemed to have understood my gesture, with some bold movements caught the attention from the attackers as I ran through the hallway mocking them, giving time for Rem to break the column but as he got closer to the column an enemy soldier spotted him and shot him in the arm, that must have made me very angry because I jumped at the enemy and pushed him away.

The captain seeing this tried to rescue me, I guess I should have told her what I was planning, maybe that would have saved her, maybe that would have saved them, but it happened a nearby enemy exploded a mortar charge near the hole which broke the column as I wanted causing the ceiling to crumble above them.

Relieve filled me as I saw a chance for them to survive, it made me happy, yes, happy until I witnessed a bullet that grazed my ear, my instinct made me move towards cover to get time and think my own survival through, but as I looked away from the field and the debris falling from the ceiling a loud scream caught my attention.

Rem--- Captain!!! Nooooo!!!

My eyes were showing the unthinkable, as cover was protecting me from the bullets it was not protecting Lilith from that stray bullet which missed me, she seems to got hit in the head and falling along the debris, my first reaction was to run towards her, to embrace her and provide shelter but as I reached my enemies line of sight I felt some bullets bounce of my skin, this enraged me to the point of madness, and as I turned towards them my vision blurred and my mouth dried as I heard this questions yelled in my head.

The voices... were there, driving me nuts... why are they here?! Why are they attacking me?! Why did they kill her?! Why?! Why?! Why?! Then in a short moment of silence I saw her, looking at me and telling me, "This war ends today", her last wish... so fierce and peaceful it inspired me... to let the voices take over and let my enemies meet my 100 sins.