Tears in the Flames

In the wake of the missile strike, devastation blanketed the city. The once-thriving streets and buildings were reduced to rubble and ashes. The impact was so severe that even Raynolds and General Dan's troops were sent sprawling, helpless in the face of such a destructive force. Raynolds, injured and disoriented, struggled to regain consciousness.

"Lieutenant Dialla! The missiles have struck their mark!"

Dialla, with a maniacal glee in his voice, reveled in the chaos before him. The city now burned with an infernal intensity, a testament to the destruction they had wrought.

"Hahahahaha! Victor, look at this beautiful scene…"

"Indeed, Sir! Another piece of good news, Sir! My men just reported that they have captured Raynolds's family and are holding them hostage. However, before their capture, they were escorted by someone else."

"Very well! Hahahahaha! It appears our esteemed Captain was already aware that we would target his family. Victor, instruct your men to uncover the identity of this mysterious escort. We must eliminate all those who support our Captain after this war."

"Yes, Sir! I'll dispatch my men to investigate immediately."

"Excellent! Soldiers, our task now is to locate our valiant Captain before we declare victory in this war!"

The soldiers responded enthusiastically, except for one who wore a military mask and stared at Dialla with a chilling, eerie smile.

Meanwhile, Raynolds' surviving men embarked on a frantic search for their leader amidst the city's ruins. After a relentless effort, they discovered him and roused him from his daze. Raynolds, with great effort, opened his eyes, revealing his Prussian blue irises.

"Captain! Are you alright?! Your head is bleeding!"

Raynolds, his voice weakened by his injuries, replied, "Just a flesh wound... nothing serious."

"Let me contact our medic… Captain, your eyes…" His men noticed the unusual color of Raynolds' eyes.

"Stop staring me like that… What just happened… What's the current situation?"

"It seems they launched the K-2 missiles and leveled the city. We searched the area; there aren't many survivors on either side…"

"And the other team? How did they fare?"

"They… they were all wiped out by the missiles, along with the Nisaeria army and civilians…"

"Civilians too?!"

"Unfortunately... yes…"

Raynolds struggled to stay upright, his gaze sweeping over the scene. The city burned fiercely, casting an eerie glow that replaced the once-serene night sky. The buildings lay in ruins, teetering on the brink of collapse. The streets were strewn with the lifeless bodies of civilians, and the ground was stained with their blood. The city resounded with the anguished cries of survivors, a haunting lament for the tragedy that had befallen them.

Amid the harrowing devastation, Raynolds and his men were left speechless by the heart-wrenching scene before them. A cry, faint but desperate, drew their attention to a ruined house nearby. Carefully, they began removing the debris, revealing a mother who had been crushed to death by the collapsed ceiling. Her eyes, filled with tears, were still open, and in her lifeless arms, she clutched a crying infant.

Raynolds felt a surge of compassion for the helpless child. He gave orders with a voice laced with empathy, "Carefully retrieve her… You there, find a piece of cloth or something to wrap her in securely. We need to get her to safety!"

"Roger, Captain!"

As his orders were executed, he addressed the deceased mother with reverence, gently closing her eyes, "She is fine now. You saved her. Rest in peace…"

Suddenly, a nearby five-story building erupted in a colossal explosion, collapsing before their eyes. A horrific tableau unfolded before them as the building crumbled. From the chaotic wreckage emerged a harrowing sight - burning corpses, some no larger than children, tumbled out in a grotesque display of suffering. Others were cruelly bisected, their lives tragically snuffed out within the ruins.

Silence reigned over the group, save for the agonized cries that seemed to echo through the blood-soaked streets. The soldiers, their faces masking a profound absence of emotion, stood amidst the ghastly scene. Finally, one of them dared to voice the collective despair that hung heavily in the air, his voice heavy with uncertainty and disillusionment.

"Captain… must we really wage this war? This is the first time we've been thrust into invading another country… Is this what our comrades are enduring beyond the borders of Kothern?"

Raynolds, his anger growing, shook his head and muttered, "Damn… who launched those cursed missiles?!!"

"We don't know, Captain… A massive explosion just occurred in front of us, and in the blink of an eye, the city became this nightmarish landscape… We're lucky to be alive…"

"Damn… Soldiers… I believe I know who's responsible for this… a coward who can't face an enemy head-on and resorts to such dirty tricks to win a war… We're going to find him!"

"Where do we even begin, Captain?"

"The city hall over there… Those who aren't ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, you can return home now."

The soldiers exchanged glances, hesitating briefly before unanimously deciding to follow Raynolds, except for one.

"Sorry, Captain, but I have to go back home… If I knew the path ahead would surely cost my life, I wouldn't have followed…"

"That's a pathetic excuse… Everyone here has families waiting for them to return. Why not just admit you're a coward?" Another soldier retorted angrily.

"Enough! This isn't anyone's fault! I'm not forcing anyone to come with me. We need to respect each other's decisions, understood?"

"Yes, Captain…"

"Don't worry about it. You can head back to Kothern now. The war is over. What's your name?"

"Jeff Leslie, sir, from Luthernza."

"Luthernza? Hold on for a moment. I'll need your assistance." Raynolds retrieved a small notebook from his pocket and jotted something down.

"What's this for, Captain?"

"Take this note. It's crucial. Deliver it directly to Second Lieutenant Winton. She's in charge of Luthernza city's safety. This note contains vital information. I'm entrusting it to you.

"Understood, Captain! You can count on me, and I won't let you down!"

"Thanks! Now, for the rest of you… Our next battleground is the city hall square. I have two new missions for you. First, we must capture the culprit alive and ensure he faces the consequences for this chaos. Second, I want each one of you to return home proudly, alive. Clear?"

The soldiers, without uttering a word, nodded solemnly. Their faces were etched with determination and seriousness. Reloading their weapons, they began their march toward the city hall.

Meanwhile, Dialla and his men pressed on towards the city hall. The streets were littered with the wounded and dying, but Dialla had no intention of offering assistance. Some desperate civilians, unable to contain their anger, hurled random debris at Dialla and his troops.

"Kothern's dogs! Get the hell out of our land!" The civilians yelled, their voices filled with anger and desperation.

Dialla, seemingly unfazed, remarked, "This is how the people of this poor country greet their visitors?!"

Victor chimed in with disdain, "Very disappointing, Sir! Is this the standard of the people in this country? Are they so primitive? If that's the case, perhaps they don't deserve to live."

Amidst the hostility, a civilian hurled debris that struck Dialla directly. He winced but maintained his composure, saying, "Screw them… Victor, this time, I'm inclined to agree with you. These people don't seem to appreciate life. Soldiers, respond to them!"

The civilians' actions infuriated Dialla, compelling him to order his men to open fire on the helpless citizens.

The once-angry civilians, who had stood their ground against the Kothern army, were now running for their lives, fear etched across their injured faces. After traversing several desolate streets, they came upon a heart-wrenching sight. A young boy, tears streaming down his face, was trying desperately to shift a massive pile of debris with his tiny hands. When he spotted Dialla and his soldiers, he sprinted towards them, his voice trembling with desperation.

"Uh huuh huuh… Please help me…" The boy sobbed, his eyes pleading for assistance.

Dialla, with a wicked tone, asked, "Dear boy, what's wrong? How can I help?"

The boy sniffled and said, "Uh huuh… my father… he's under there…"

"Please don't cry, just show me exactly where he is."

"There… it's too heavy, and I cannot move them… Uh huuh…"

"So, your father is trapped under there. No worry, leave it to me."

"Really? Thank you!" The boy's gratitude was evident.

Dialla approached the debris and, with his considerable strength, lifted it effortlessly. Underneath, he found a man still breathing but severely injured. Instead of instructing his troops to assist the man, Dialla callously told the injured man to crawl out from under the debris himself. The man, weakened by his injuries, failed to move, so his brave son stepped in to help him.

"Dad! Hang on there! I will pull you out!" The boy rushed to his father's side, and Dialla held the debris for them.

"Urghhh… my son… R... un…" The man's words were labored.

"Dad? I can't hear what you said clearly…"

"Run…"

"Hmm? Run…?"

"They are… Kothern's… dogs…"

"What do you mean?"

As the boy struggled to free his father, the father, sensing the impending danger, mustered his last ounce of strength and shoved his son out of harm's way.

Dialla, without warning, released the debris. It plummeted to the ground, smashing the father's head in a grisly instant. Blood sprayed across the boy's face as he stood there, wide-eyed and traumatized. He couldn't comprehend the horrors unfolding before him. Dialla's evil laughter reverberated in his ears as he turned to confront the boy.

"Oops! Sorry, boy. My hand was slipped so I accidentally let go! Ahahahahaha!!" Dialla jeered, reveling in his malevolence.

The boy remained silent, his gaze locked on his lifeless father. He struggled to make sense of the nightmare that had just unfolded before his innocent eyes. His lips quivered as he turned back to Dialla.

"Did you… just hurt my father…?"

"Hmm… No, I killed him," Dialla replied coldly, his malice palpable.

"YOU… MURDERER! Return my father to me at once! RETURN MY FATHER!" The boy pounded at Dialla's leg, tears and fury in his eyes.

Dialla sneered, "What a disobedient and annoying boy…" He muttered in frustration.

Slowly, he placed both hands around the boy's throat. The street fell into a sinister silence, broken only by the crackling of the flames. But the stillness was abruptly shattered when one of Dialla's soldiers approached, intending to deliver a report.

"Lieutenant! We've scoured the city, but Captain Raynolds is nowhere to be found."

"Never mind, he may be dead... What a bitter end for him, I haven't show him my gratitude yet… In that case, we shall proceed to the city hall and declare our glorious victory in this war."

"Yes, Sir! Woo Hoo, we won!" The soldiers cheered ecstatically, except for the one who had been observing Dialla with a creepy smile since the war began.