Chapter Two: Visions (Felix)

Why can't I save them?

Felix stands in front of the vertical lines of his unit, letting his hands rest on the podium before him. A list of names and a map of the nation lay out before him, covered in arrows and pins. He would need a new map soon like he did every month. Arrows were all possible routes his unit could take, while all the pins were either important locations that were also circled in pen, like the locations of rendezvous points, or where other ally armies were stationed.

A red circle made in marker was around Geneva, a location where many murders were being committed, though a suspect was never found. This murderer was nicknamed "Swift Death", as their targets would die within seconds or even minutes of being struck with an arrow. Though no evidence of who committed the murders was found, the suspect was still out there and might kill more of Felix's soldiers.

Last month, more than a hundred of Felix's soldiers were killed by Swift Death. Varying degrees of poison, from fast-acting to gradual deterioration were found to have killed them if the wound itself- an arrow to either the heart, head, neck, or other vital organs- didn't.

Eventually, Felix looks up from the map and list, clears his throat, and begins the briefing.

"As you all may or may not already know, Russland's advances towards Polen's borders have been rather fast and aggressive. As Schweiz is a trusted ally of Polen, I have decided to send a small battalion to assist the military units there with whatever they require. As such, I will be choosing a number of those who excel in different areas of military tasks. Will the following people please come to the front of the lines..."

As Felix calls out the names and the lines grow shorter, he can see the recruits in the back. While only a few have neutral expressions, most of the others have eyes that are wide with curiosity, distinguishing those who experienced violence in any shape and form, and those who joined the military to protect their country with the idea of dying only a thought pushed to the back of their minds.

But in the Grand Room, where Felix would call both his briefings and longer conferences, death was not a scare. It was warm, well-lit, and safe, unlike the cold, dark, and unforgiving fields of warfare. Bern was supposed to be the safest place in Schweiz, being the capital of the nation. There were very few times when Bern was threatened, and it was all in the past, earlier than when Felix was born.

If Bern was ever threatened, Felix would ensure everyone in his unit was well enough to fight. Those who weren't well enough stayed behind and were cared for by a traveling doctor. Felix would then make sure every person he set out with met back with him, safe or only sustaining minor injuries.

Every general before him treated those under them like disposable toys. But Felix knew, just like him, they were human. They had parents, spouses, children, and a home. If they died, whoever they lived with and for, if anyone, would be devastated.

Meanwhile, Felix never had an interest in meeting others with the intent of marrying or even dating them. He knew, one day, he would die, and leave whoever was his partner with grief and troubles they shouldn't have to experience.

He would never join the others in writing letters to their relatives and loved ones, as his parents were probably far from Schweiz, so the letter would never reach them in a reasonable amount of time. Even if the letter did reach them, as they were certainly alive and well, would they even reply? Did they even care for him...?

Just as the last person comes up to the line, a loud boom and rumble shake the building and stun everyone in the Grand Room. Felix is the first to regain his composure and has to raise his voice to be heard over the voices of the puzzled and panicked soldiers.

"I want half of you who were not called to come with me to investigate what just occurred. Those whom I called forward, please-"

"Stay where you are. Get back in line; you're not going anywhere until I say so."

A man marches into the Grand Room, dressed in black and silver, a stark contrast between the white uniforms of the soldiers in the room, Felix included. He steps up onto the platform where Felix stands behind the podium and stops several feet from him.

"General Adelric, or should I say Felix Adelric. I am here to...relieve you of your duties as General of the Army of Schweiz," the man nonchalantly speaks to Felix, giving no regard to the soldiers that stare up at him in either confusion or hostility.

Who was this man? Did he just have the audacity to ask Felix to step down from his position? Was he even qualified to lead an entire military unit?

Well, to be fair, Felix did look rather young and not at all like he was General of the Army. He was younger than most of the seasoned soldiers, and only a few years older than the newest recruits. This man looked much older, maybe ten years older than Felix. But age did not matter in this situation. Experience, on the other hand, did.

"Excuse me? You have no right to march in here and ask for me to give up my position to you. Did someone send you here? If so, I would like to have a word with them," Felix looks the man straight in the eyes, his only reason for doing so is to appear strong in front of those who are watching him.

The man laughs before letting his left hand wrap around the black hilt of a sword, bringing it out of its sheath. In the bright lights of the Grand Room, it glitters a brilliant silver, but Felix can notice a faint glow from the weapon.

As the general takes a few deep breaths, he can no longer meet the man's eyes. Was he going to die? Was this it for him? What would become of Schweiz if he died?

"Who sent me is of no concern to you. And I am not asking you to give up your position. I am demanding you to. Of course, I will still give you the choice of saying yes or no. It's up to you," the man glances out at the soldiers who stand, frozen in place, before looking back at Felix.

"I...see..." Felix is only able to produce two words, not knowing what else to say.

There is a long silence between the two and throughout the room. A smile crosses the man's face as he adjusts the grip on his sword, drawing Felix's eyes towards the weapon yet again.

"So, what will it be? Just say yes, and you'll leave here unharmed."

"And if I say no?" Felix forces himself, once again, to meet eyes with the man before him.

"Then you die."

The sword in the man's hand glows silver, and it pierces through Felix's abdomen with a single motion of the man's arm. The sword absorbs any magic from its target, rendering anyone virtually defenseless against an attack. It was a waste of power and energy with Felix, as his ability was neither defense nor offense-oriented.

With a flick of the man's wrist, he is flung from the sword and lands on the ground, blood already pooling around his body.

His head turns to face his soldiers. Only one of them rushes forward, shouting, an orphan boy who came from Finnland, shortly after the end of the nation's war with Russland. The two didn't get along at first, but when Felix saved him from his otherwise inevitable death, the two came to trust each other.

"Kommandant!"

Felix moves his right hand out from his side, a pathetic attempt to try and reach out to the boy who is almost to the front of the still straight and neat line of soldiers.

A silver blur comes across Felix's vision. He watches with wide eyes but a fading vision as the boy looks down at the same sword that just wounded Felix, before collapsing on the ground, silent and still.

"No... Not like this..." Felix struggles to keep his vision from going black and the blood from trickling out of his mouth.

The last thing he feels is the sword effortlessly breaking his ribs as it goes straight through his heart.

Everything is then silent.

"So, what will it be? Just say yes, and you'll leave here unharmed," the man stands before Felix, his silver sword still unsheathed.

Felix looks out into the crowd. He and the small boy lock eyes, and he smiles sorrowfully at him. Felix didn't know if he would follow his superior, but half of him hoped he did. Knowing it would be safer for him to stay with the rest of his regiment, he sends his wish to the back of his head.

The young man quietly nods and takes the gold star signifying his position off of his white uniform. He sets it on the podium and without another word, he walks down from the platform, and through the soldiers who part for him.

A shout from behind him makes Felix turn around.

"General Adelric, where are you going?"

Felix smiles as a tear falls from his eye.

"It doesn't matter where I'm going. Just promise me you'll be alive when I return."

With those words, Felix turns back around and leaves the Grand Room, emerging out into the vibrantly lit streets of Bern. He walks for a while through the streets until the lights of the city fade behind him, and he emerges atop a hill overlooking a river.

Across the river on the horizon, Felix can see the familiar gray haze of smoke and catch the faint scent of gunpowder in the air, carried by the wind. Judging by where Felix stood, the smoke and gunpowder came from the small but beautiful town of Basel, where Felix often liked to take a stroll whenever he was off duty, which these days happened quite rarely.

He begins down the hill and towards the river when he hears the sound of footsteps and the short, quick breaths of someone running behind him. Almost certain he knows who followed him, Felix closes his eyes and lets out a small sigh, trying to steady his voice before speaking.

"Reko, go back to the Grand Room. It isn't safe for you out here."

"Are you kidding me? It's complete chaos in the Grand Room! Everyone is confused about why you left, who the man is, and why he's giving out nonsense orders! And before you tell me to go back again, you aren't the general anymore, so you have no power over me, including my decisions!"

The boy's declaration causes Felix to slowly turn around to face him. The boy is still dressed in his uniform, and his right hand is balled into a fist while his left hand hangs open by his side. The black and silver handle of his weapon sticks out from its sheath as though he had just recently used it.

"What do you have in your right hand?" Felix keeps his eyes fixed on the boy's hand as he brings it up and outward in Felix's direction, before revealing the gold star that the young man set on the podium before he left.

Felix steps forward and reaches out to grab it, but the boy quickly closes his fingers back over the item and pulls his hand away. His lips curve into a crescent, revealing a taunting smile.

"If you let me accompany you to wherever you're going, even if you don't know, I'll give you your star back. If you don't, I get to keep it. If you're wondering how I got it, let's just leave it with the point that I'm essentially a naïve soldier with swift reflexes in the eyes of most. Now, do you want your star back or not?" Reko lets his left hand brush the handle of his weapon as he speaks.

Reko may just be one of the younger soldiers in Felix's unit, but he was cleverer than even some of the most seasoned soldiers. He was also not afraid to talk back to those higher up than him, even if he had to obey their orders in the end. Felix never minded it, as it made his job far more amusing.

Eventually, Felix extends his left hand, but Reko shakes his head. Instead, the boy walks up to him until their faces are only inches apart. Reko looks Felix straight in the eyes while the young man just stares back at him, the silence becoming awkward and uncomfortable.

Reko finally steps back and smiles, gesturing to Felix's uniform. Glancing down, Felix can see the glint of the golden star in the moonlight. His eyes are brought back to Reko as he sees the boy draw out his weapon and wipe off the crimson blood upon the silver blade with a white cloth.

"Did you...kill someone?" Felix watches as Reko returns the blade to its sheath.

Reko just offers an innocent smile and two words.

"Fatally wounded."

Words and phrases used in this chapter:

Russland- Russia

Polen- Poland

Schweiz- Switzerland

Finnland- Finland

Kommandant- Commander