Inside Golz

The forest path stretched ahead, sunlight filtering softly through the dense canopy above. Hans adjusted the straps of his pack—laden with provisions gifted by the villagers—as Hetzer walked beside him, casually nibbling on a piece of dried meat.

"So," Hans began, casting a curious glance her way, "you mentioned needing to 'replenish' after fighting. What exactly does that mean?"

Hetzer paused mid-chew, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Hetzer's not sure. Just feels... drained after fighting too much. Eating helps."

Hans furrowed his brow. The idea of her running on calories instead of fuel was bizarre, though not nearly as strange as the fact that she could transform into a tank destroyer.

"Does it have to be food, though?" he asked, probing further. "What about fuel? Oil? Maybe ammunition?"

She blinked at him, her amber eyes wide with innocence. "Ammunition? Commander can load Hetzer anytime!"

Hans nearly choked on the air. "That's—not what I meant," he stammered.

Hetzer frowned, puffing out her cheeks. "Hetzer doesn't need fuel anymore. Just food. And sleep."

He exhaled a long, resigned sigh. "Great. A tank that eats like a teenage girl."

"Hey, we are now a bit far from the village so can you turn back into your original form? Otherwise this journey won't ever end." Hans changed the topic.

"Why not take advantage of the resources I have," he thought.

"Oh right, Hetzer forgot, hehe," the girl gave a shy laugh as she turned into the Jagdpanzer 38t tank destroyer.

Hans got inside it through the hatch and then they drove towards the direction in which the city Asper mentioned was supposed to be.

They continued through the forest which gradually thinning as the path opened up to rolling hills.

In the distance, a dirt road wound toward a larger settlement. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, and the faint outline of walls marked the presence of a town.

"That must be the city Asper mentioned," Hans murmured, mostly to himself. Soon the towering walls of the distant city came into their view,

"Alright," Hans sighed "first turn into human again or we might freak out the citizens." Saying this Hans got out of the vehicle and then again the familiar white light surrounded it.

With a sound like scraping steel and a flash of white light, the Jagdpanzer's angular form collapsed inwards, plates shifting and folding until only the petite girl remained - though the faint scent of gun oil still clung to her uniform.

"Commander being silly again! Hetzer's tracks wouldn't even scratch their puny gate!" the girl pouted.

Hans massaged his temples. "They would've shot us as monsters." He gestured to her dress-uniform tunic, its Iron Cross glinting in the sunlight.

As they walked towards the city wall, Hetzer's stomach grumbled audibly, breaking the moment of quiet. "Hetzer hopes they have food," she declared with utmost seriousness.

Hans shot her a teasing grin. "Didn't you just eat few hours ago?"

"Hetzer's a growing girl!" she retorted, her voice a mix of indignation and pride. Hetzer opened her mouth to protest when a voice barked from above:

"Halt! State your business!"

A guard leaned over the wooden palisade, his rusted helmet askew. Behind him, a dozen more figures gathered—armed with pikes and crossbows, their uniforms a mishmash of patched leather and ill-fitting chainmail.

Hans raised his hands slowly. "We are travelers seeking a place to rest." He nudged Hetzer, who was peeking from behind his back.

The guards' eyes lingered on Hetzer's thigh-high boots and lack of pants - scandalous by local standards - then moved to Hans' black Panzer wrap with its strange eagle insignia. The older guard's expression darkened at the sight.

As they maintained cautious watch over the two weird intruders, a guard with somewhat resemblance of military uniformity came out followed by two more mercenary guards.

"This might be their commander," Hans thought.

"Commander, they smell like rotten eggs," Hetzer whispered as quietly as possible from behind. She hid herself more when the incoming guards looked at her. Hans stood in between the guards and Hetzer.

"Did the young lady say something?" the guard commander asked looking at their direction.

"Nothing. She is just shy and is afraid of strangers." Hans replied. "Anyways, we are not bad guys, we are travelling a long way and want to return to our home in a faraway country."

The guards looked at the couple thoroughly and finally decided to allow them in. The commander nodded at one of the guards behind him, who quickly rushed back. Soon the huge city doors opened.

"Welcome to Golz, have a good journey," the commander said before showing Hans and Hetzer the way in.

"Thank you very much." Hans said as he and Hetzer who was still holding on to him followed the guards.

As they entered through the gates, the smell of coal smoke and fermented cabbage washed over them. The cobblestones were worn smooth most possibly by generations of use and little to no maintenance, and strange blue moss grew between the cracks.

As they stepped into the city, the full scene unfolded before them—a chaotic sprawl of crooked, timber-framed buildings that leaned into one another like drunks staggering home after a long night.

The narrow streets twisted and meandered without rhyme or reason, as though the city had sprouted up haphazardly, growing like moss or mold rather than following any sort of plan.

Thin trails of smoke puffed from chimneys in uneven rhythms, mingling with the sour tang of fermenting cabbage and the sharp, earthy musk of unwashed bodies and livestock.

The buildings themselves were a patchwork of weathered wood and crumbling plaster, punctuated here and there by stubborn patches of stone that had somehow survived the years.

The streets bustled with slow-moving people clad in a muted palette of browns and grays, their clothes worn thin and patched over countless times.

A few of them gave the newcomers a passing glance, their expressions ranging from mild curiosity to cautious suspicion, but most were too preoccupied or tired to pay much attention.

Hetzer clung to his arm like a frightened child, her wide amber eyes darting nervously at every passerby. Hans sighed but gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She might be a tank destroyer, but here she was just a scared girl.

Barefoot children darted between market stalls, their laughter echoing as they dodged carts and puddles.

Nearby, a scruffy dog rooted through an overflowing gutter, its tail wagging at some half-buried treasure.

As they walked through the broken pedestal beside the cobblestone road, in search for an inn to stay the night, the full view of the city started to appear in their eyes. 

In the distance, a crumbling keep loomed over the rooftops, its tattered banners flapping weakly against the dull sky. The walls were pitted with missing stones, and one of the towers lean precariously, as if it had long ago surrendered to the weight of its years.

This place looked tired, beaten down by decades of neglect, a patchwork of survival held together by sheer stubbornness.

A merchant's voice rang out, hawking "the finest wares," while a chicken let out an indignant squawk and a door slammed shut with a heavy, rattling thud.

The city seemed to sigh around them, its presence unmistakably alive but worn down, like an old warrior too proud to admit it needed rest.

Hans sighed, his eyes scanning the chaotic sprawl of Golz. He adjusted his black Panzer wrap, the eagle insignia a hollow reminder of the world he'd left behind.

Part of him—a desperate, fractured part—almost wished for the sight of an NKVD officer or a Red Army patrol. At least then, he'd know he wasn't alone in this strange, godforsaken place.

The thought lingered, bitter and absurd. The NKVD wouldn't hesitate to shoot him—or worse—but the idea of facing something familiar, even an enemy, gnawed at him. The weight of isolation pressed heavier on his chest than fear ever had.

'Commander?' Hetzer's voice cut through his thoughts, her eyes filled with worry. 'Are you okay?'

He forced a smile. 'Just thinking, Hetzer. Let's keep moving.'

They had left the village after lunch and thanks to Hetzer they were able to reach the city within a short time but the sun was gradually shifting in the western sky so they needed a place to spend the night.

Hans scanned the streets, searching for a place to stay. But everyone avoided them after casting a weird glance.

Finally an old man reluctantly guided them towards an inn a few paces in front of them. Hans had to explain that they were from a very different and faraway land where their clothings were fairly normal.

When they reached in front of the two storied inn, it was no different from the rest of the buildings in the city, worn out by decades of carelessness. It's color faded and in many places the inner structure of wood and canvas was visible.

But this was the best place they could get for now. So he decided to spend the night here. They entered the building. Hans was a little relieved to see the inside to be at least somewhat well maintained.

The young girl working as receptionist handed them a key for their room which was in the second floor at the furthest corner. She also offered them dinner which Hans had to refuse.

Partly because they still had some food left from the village and most importantly because they didn't have the local money. Hans lay on the sofa, his mind buzzing with worry.

He wanted two seperate rooms but that was not something affordable, not even a room with two beds. So he decided to lay down in the double seater sofa in the room while Hetzer went in to wash herself.

He couldn't help but think about Emma and his mother and the thought that he might never see them again made him sad.

The room itself was brightly light with ample amount of torches in the wall. The design was also good compared to the outside and there were some useful furnitures along with a double bed, the sofa and a cupboard for keeping their clothes.

The room came with an attached bathroom which was now occupied by Hetzer for quite a while. Hans dozed off to sleep pushing his worries to the corner of his mind.