The Burning Flames: "" II

Mixed of indistinct chatter ringing in Theo's ears. It's noisy. He can hear all sort of sounds, people crying, sobbing, yelling.. what happened? Why? 

He stares at the ground, not making a single noise. Sitting in the dark closed tent, trying to comfort himself. Other soldiers from the searching team of Unit 125 are there in the closed tent too. They don't utter a single word. 

Covering themselves with blanket to try warming up. Though it's not working. The feeling of dread is eating them alive, leaving nothing but pain and suffering with them. Team Leader Justin and Assistant Team Leader John are busy outside, handling the higher ups with their questions about Unit 125.

Unit with no commander now. The body of those soldiers will be buried to honor them, and the one grieving will have the chance to see them getting buried. It's an act of respect towards those who have lost their lives.

Theo is grateful for that, but he wonders why couldn't they do the same towards Unit 109? They did a burial towards those who no longer have their bodies presence, so why is it different for Unit 109? Why is it that no one even bother to make a proper burial, saying farewell to them too? Were they not the same troops that fought for this empire? 

Or was it because no one in Unit 109 still have their loved one?... He just wondered. And the curiosity ended up burying his supposed empathy for those who also died for the empire. 

Assistant Team Leader peeks inside of the tent to see how everyone's doing. He makes a saddened face, seeing how none of them would be as lively as before. He sighed before he reports the situation to the Team Leader. 

"They are pretty much the same as yesterday. Not much movement, just lying on the ground, covering themselves with blankets," he speaks up once the agent from the higher ups excused themselves. 

Team Leader Justin puts the paper that was given to him from the higher ups on the bench. There's a lot to take in. 

"They will need to be prepared for the burial, or else they will end up like a living corpse someday."

His words contaminate half the truth of what might happen in the future if the searching team continues to lay down on the floor like dead bodies, but it is harsh. Assistant Team Leader just stared as he keeps himself quiet. 

There's not much to say in these doomsdays anyways, just waiting for themselves to continue on with no true path that should have led them towards the end of the war. 

"I'll get them ready for the burial ceremony.."

Assistant Team Leader tries to excuse himself, since the silence is so loud. It's tense just being there with Team Leader Justin, so he decides to walk away. 

Then, the burial ceremony started. Unit 125 searching team stand in a line, making way for the caskets of the dead. They stand behind the loved ones of their dead comrades, showing the last honour to their bodies. 

"Today, we stand here to remember our fallen soldiers. May their soul rest in peace, as they head to heaven that have been waiting for them. We will avenge them by winning the war, stand with me, soldiers. We shall honour their death, and let us be carried by it to continue marching forward, towards our victory," General Robert gives out his speech, as the ceremony begins.

As the caskets begin to be carried, and buried, only their eyes follow along, watching from afar. They are in no way to handle the burial, as much as they wanted to. It's the rule from the higher-ups to not being the one to bury their comrades. It's ridiculous, atrocious even. 

The moment Unit 125's flag got burnt to ashes is the moment of birth for the Menifes Budini.

The 'ghost team' that will lead the war in the shadow. 

**********

"Team Leader Justin. The higher ups are-...," one of the soldiers from another unit enters the tent where Unit 125's searching team is resting. All of them turn to look at him when he enters.

They were all facing each other as if there was a discussion between them. The serious looks on their face sends shiver down his spine. They look cold, and dead. It's like he is standing in front of corpses. 

"What is it that you wish to speak about?" Team Leader Justin starts to speak. It's giving an intimidating aura. The way they all glare at him, while they gather around in the dark, with only an oil lamp in the middle of them is sending him threatening aura.

"..T-..the higher ups wish to speak with you," the soldier finally gathers up his courage as he tells them what he came here for. Team Leader Justin nods as he stands up.

"I'll be on my way," he said as the soldier salute to show respect. The soldier then leaves the tent, feeling relief that the encounter just took only little time. 

Team Leader Justin then looks at the 51 people in the tent, giving them signals to continue the discussion without him. Assistant Team Leader John nods before Team Leader Justin leaves the tent. Just a few seconds after, they look at each other again.

"Listen here, we will be getting ready tonight. We'll head out early in the morning, be prepared," the Assistant Team Leader shows them the map of the Nebalble land. He uses a red marker to point at the area they should head to tomorrow.

"We are heading south?" one of them asks when Assistant Team Leader makes a circle at the area near the South Regiment. They take a closer look on the map, and nod their head when they see the mark.

"Correct. We need to head south," he answers.

"But we are not familiar with the Southern area. How can we head there with this little team?" a unit usually contains 1000 soldiers under them before marching straight into the battlefield. The least is 300 soldiers. Going in an unknown place with only 52 soldiers would be considered as a suicidal plan. 

"...That's true. But we don't have much choice. We need to follow as per what General Robert commanded us," said the Assistant Team Leader. Some of them are not sure about this situation. It's pretty dangerous. 

"Stop being a coward, you guys are soldiers," at last, Lieutenant Nebir finally opens his mouth. He's been quiet for who knows how long, but seeing his team being a coward and fear the danger of those machines really tick him off. The searching team turn their head to look at him. Really now...

"Of course, it's just that..." trying to give some excuses when talking to Lieutenant Nebir would be pointless. They can't win in an argument either way. 

"What? Are you people scared because you guys have never been to the Southern Area? We are not as clueless as we think," he said as he crosses his arms, trying to make a point. All of them look at each other as they fell into the state of confusion. 

"What do you mean by that?" Assistant Team Leader John raises one of his eyebrows. Is there something that he missed?

"I'm sure we have the upper hand on the Southern Area, right...-" Lieutenant Nebir turn around as he looks at a certain someone that is sitting behind him. The searching team look at the person that Lieutenant Nebir is staring at, as their gaze fall upon Theo. 

"Private William James?" 

Theo, who was staring at the ground the whole time, listening in for the conversation, raises his head as he stares at them. His secret is out it seems.