Gate of Dimensions

[Act 1] Chapter 13: City of Hope

Normal life had returned to the city after two weeks of siege and a few hours since the last pockets of the Imperial Army were eliminated, but German soldiers have now become part of the decor and are likely the remain that way from then on. It is just as Werner wanted it, to protect them from certain death, not from the Imperial Army, but from others within their ranks.

On Werner's orders, his entire army was brought inside the city, including the half-tracks and tanks, to stand guard outside every building, preventing Helga's men from completing their orders, trying to protect the citizens unfortunate enough to get caught in modern warfare. Panzergrenadiers wearing greatcoats marching in goosesteps through the city were a sight to see to the citizens all around them, who saw them more as a divine presence than grey soldiers of a foreign world.

It made Werner more than a little uneasy to think what must be going through the minds of the Arthurians as they watched tanks and men drive right past them, probably believing the tank is its own being, but it is a concept a modern man can't comprehend. If someone from the medieval era happened to see a tank, they would likely apply it to whatever they had in their own world. It was probably the wisest thing to do rather than spare themselves the brain cramp of understanding how it truly works.

Around the city, citizens helped move the bodies of both the Imperial Army and those unfortunate to get caught by Helga's men out of the streets and pile them on the half-tracks to be transported outside to the pyres. The stench may have been unbearable even within the city walls, even more to those who don't have gas masks, but it was an effective way to remove the carnage left behind by the men in black, even if it was completely disrespectful. Medics from both Werner and Erwin's armies were the only thing preventing more bodies from being piled upon the half-tracks, mercy that shouldn't be freely given to the people who supposedly attacked their capital city.

Breaking the silence, Werner asked his commander, "When and why did you come here, Herr Rommel?

Casting a disapproving glance, Erwin responded, "Helga sent me a telegram detailing your march upon a city far outside the boundaries of the designated positions around Sapphire River, leaving the western portions undefended. When I first heard of it, I didn't expect you would neglect to at least tell me about this plan and lead your army far east out of the safe zone. And now, you decide to forge alliances with these natives without my say-so?"

"They are called Arthurians, sir," Werner corrected, wiping a sweat. "These people are our only allies against our true enemy: the Imperial Army, the ones who attacked Berlin."

"Arthurians? What does it matter, Werner?" the voice of Helga interrupted.

Helga approached the two officers with Victor Meyer and Michael Wittman, her two top officers, in not-so-great haste. Werner snarled his teeth as he turned his head towards Helga, the demon in everyone's life. He almost lost his temper as he got a view of her smug, satisfied face mocking him.

"This murderous bitch has been massacring innocent civilians," Werner yelled. "I demand she be trialled and punished for her crimes or at least be transferred out of this expedition and be sent back to Germany!"

Helga simply giggled and stepped closer towards Werner and Erwin, hand-signalling her two officers to stop. "I was ordered to clear a path to make way for our field army, which was what I intended to do. Besides, the rules of engagement became clear when we were attacked in the heart of our empire by monsters. We are not letting these people go without a little bit of vengeance."

"Oh, fick dich!" Werner screamed. "You are telling me you did all that because you were following orders? Did your orders include massacre an entire population's worth of unarmed people for no reason? I should report you to High Command and have you charged as a war criminal, but that is if I manage to get them to follow the Guinevere Protocol again."