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Was it always the case, before the surface collapsed, that people were persecuted by their past actions?
Does the lord still loom over her, despite her conversion to the enemy’s side?
After the surface fell circa 1919 due to the bombings by the Nation, they all went underground. The Queen established the Nation as enemies— dogs to be culled and cleansed of their sins— and that they will all follow suit of their demise shortly after. The Nation’s survival was a sin, and so were theirs.
Because of the harsh conditions underground, life was barely humane. Food was scarce, resources were dried up, but those who have been through hell know how to survive in conditions so bleak. Leni was assigned Officer from her background and occupation before the surface fell, and after a year of leading her men from skirmish to skirmish, she was given a recent tip from an anonymous source, which gave information of a set of mines that contained valuable resources. Rations, ammunition, and mineral deposits, all of these were something that both the Empire and Nation needed.
Her troops were sent out over to the location, to hopefully get it before the Nation, but the Nation got there first. Her troops began to lose ground to the Nation's advances, pushed back repeatedly on the tunnels they were meant to take. A sense of dread filled her body as the other soldiers suited up a person into the Dreadnought before pushing them into the tunnels. It held them off, but its only purpose was to delay the inevitable while reinforcements ran into their deaths, oblivious to the situation at hand.
Rooks barricaded the final room to the best they could, leaving her to ponder as she had nothing left to do. Was there really a point, following the Queen's orders? How this— Whatever this was meant to do; to take the land from the unfaithful, merciless, vile democratic heretics— was salvation?
As the dreadnought was finally put to rest and reinforcements hunkered down, the Nation marched forward to the extermination of the Empire's troops on their land. They tore down their defenses, only to be met with the room filled with mangled bodies, blood splayed out on the walls; a single officer stood silently, with wounds and punctures all over her body, her hands bruised from the one-man revolution, and an empty, battered revolver, stained with crimson red.
Everything after that was a blur. She was kept in a cell for a while, stripped of her titles and forced back on the frontlines as a Soldat. With some bribery, she got back to the position of Officer. Despite Officers being notorious for their status of being arrogant, and egotistical of their own power, she deserved the role as she was practically molded by the Empire. The training paid off, but at the cost of her reputation with the Nation, being seen as a wannabe Officer. There was some discomfort, being on the opposing side of the country you swore to cleanse. No matter what you did, it can make people uneasy, especially your current comrades and regiment. She rarely talked about herself to others, no one needed to know— Even if they all knew— that she used to follow the Queen.
The worship of the Father wasn't as frivolous in the Nation, but it was enough for her to abstain anything regarding religion, even in the deep dark trenches of the battlefield. Every dog tag taken from the Empire was only another reminder of the Lord she used to worship. Visions, hallucinations, from the tunnels, points, everywhere. It plagued her mind, countless nights, tortured by the wails and cries of her own brothers. Was He still watching over her? This was… Heresy, to those that never fully understood. All of those blinded by the light of His words— most of which were twisted and mangled to better suit the desires of the Queen— never got to see the light.
Now, as she gets sent back out as reinforcements to an already ongoing skirmish, a puddle of liquid— blood, water, dirt, hard to figure out with her dimmed-out electric lantern— drenched her boots as they pushed back the Empire from Point Baker. The rest of the regiment continued onward to take back the other two points, while Leni stared at a desecrated Empire officer, meeting their lifeless gaze.
There was something about this officer— aside from the uncanny resemblance of one of her former brothers— their face stained in their own pool of blood, and a soft, wrinkled smile in their last moments is what she assumed they did. Fanatics, eager to die to reach the Lord, from the words of the Queen's mouth, if you could believe Her words anymore… She felt ashamed, seeing the cause from the enemy’s side. She understood why the Nation saw them as the monsters they depicted the Nation to be. She could've said nothing, she could've just continued on with the battle, but… It just felt wrong not to say something.
She attempts to open her mouth to speak, but a sudden thwack on the back of her head sends her a couple steps forward, grabbing on a post to regain her balance.
“You should've been put 6 feet under by the time the Nation took you in.” He spat, “Look at you, staring at your own people. How does it feel to be on the side that puts an end to them? Your own brothers are being killed while you're on the same side that exterminates them.”
Great. It's another one of those loud mouths who thought that he knew what he was saying. Sure, she understood where he came from. It must feel like shit for some former enemy to convert to their side, and rise to a status of power with less time in the Nation. Still, she earned that role, at least, in the Empire. What's wrong with keeping the expertise she had when she assimilated to the Nation?
“I earned this because of my devotion to our King. You weren't there to see me take the lives of my own brothers— my men.”
“That's bullshit! You bribed your way up here! You only killed them because you knew we’d wipe you all out.”
“I realized my loyalty to that lunatic was only detrimental to me. For my position, I took it upon myself to reclaim what was once mine in the Empire.” She hovered her hand above her gun, tensions rising, “Who was it that scouted on this very point and helped our men take hold and push back the fanatics? I can guarantee that it wasn’t you.”
“You piece of—”
“The fuck are you two doing?” Another officer, one with more recognition in the Nation, interrupted their quarrel. “Empire’s already taken Point C. You lot are bickering while they’re taking the land that’s ours.”
“Y-yes sarge!” The Soldat spoke, giving the Officer a nod before turning to face Leni again. “This isn’t over.”
“This argument is.” She sighed, turning back to face the lifeless officer. She could’ve been fighting by their side, pushing the very force that they were meant to fight.
But that opportunity’s gone now.
“You waiting for something? Get going!” The Officer pushed the Soldat beside her, giving her some peace within the point.
Right… She had to fight, to be useful to the Nation, but something on the corner of her peripheral vision caught her eye. Among the desecrated bodies of both Empire and Nation, a single Nation mortician was tending wounds to an Empire soldat.
“Sit still, things aren’t gonna get better if you keep moving!”
“Get away from me!” The Soldat tried to throw a fist to the Mortician’s face, but she weaved the blow before restraining them around a pole. “Just let me die-! Let me join my Father— my Lord!”
“Not if I’m around.” The mortician tightened the bandage around the Soldat’s abdomen, eliciting a cry from the Soldat before he fell slump on the post. The mortician wrote something on a parchment of paper, before securing it onto the post above the Soldat.
Injured. Do not kill unless you want the King to mouth you off and strip you of your titles.
She inspected the Mortician, circling around her slowly. Her hair cascaded down like a waterfall, mirroring the tears etched into her mask. But, what shook her for a moment was the fact she was forgoing the weapons assigned to her. Her entire kit was filled with medical supplies— and her issued mace, of course— but not a single gun, or rifle in sight.
The Mortician noticed her staring, standing up and patting Leni’s shoulder to bring them out of her daze. “Get going, we have a war to fight.”
She noticed the dog tag worn by Leni… No- she was sure that it was.
Of course, she noticed her, noticing her dog tag. “I never got a tag from the Nation.” She tried to lighten the atmosphere, her tone remaining stagnant, “I don't heed or listen to the orders from the Queen anymore.”
“Oh…” This was what she expected. She’s just like everyone else— “I’m glad we’re on the same side now. I wouldn’t want people under our regiment to be hurt by you.”
… That’s a first. She wasn’t told off, she wasn’t spit on or cursed or beaten up… She was just acknowledged. For the first time in about a year, she didn't have to fight for her right to be a part of the Nation's cause against the Queen.
The Mortician began moving to point A, noticing the soldiers returning there were more injured than the reports on the other 2 points. Even from looking at how many of the Nation’s men didn’t seem to come back, everyone was sure that Point A was just a death wish, even with weapons, but without anything to defend herself with? She’d have to be blessed with all the lucky cards from other soldiers and the blessing of lady luck herself to even have her body intact.
“Hey-” Leni called out, causing the Mortician to turn. “Reports state that the field is quite literally hell. People assigned to Point A don't make it out often.” She unholstered her Knell, and her cavalry sword. “Let me come with you, miss…”
“Bridget, but thank you for asking.” They gave a small gesture, appreciating Leni's concern over her.
———
Of course, like the reports given by the returning wounded survivors from Point A, it was held with a firm grip by the Empire. Whenever they got close, the lancers, with the support of other Soldat’s, decimated them. Traps were laid all over the surrounding tunnels, and even if they went around it, they'd be snuffed out by the trenchers.
A never-ending nightmare, that's what this war was meant to be. She's already plagued enough with nightmares to be accustomed by it.
Her hands held the pick like her life depended on it. Rubble and dust filled her lungs as she pushed through to have some form of advantage against the fanatics.
2 men, below me…
She pushed the pick down into the floor, caving it in before unsheathing her sword to push it into the back of the one left that survived the falling rubble.
“Hey-! We could use some reconnaissance!” A soldat shouted, laying waste behind the smoke thrown by a trapper to give some cover.
She aimed her flare gun through the smoke, before hiding behind cover with the other troops. “So how are all of you guys holding up?” She chuckled, “Any insightful ideas from the Nation?”
“We gotta flank 'em! Rain hell up above!” The Soldat peeked over the rubble, shooting a couple rounds. A stray bullet came its way into the Soldat’s shoulder, pushing him back down behind cover.
“Jeez— Smoke doesn't make you invincible!” Bridget ducked and rolled from their earlier position to the injured Soldat, beginning to tend to him.
“Hngh- Hey— thanks for this… After all this is over, how about I grab us some drinks in the city, eh?” The man winced as she pulled out the bullet.
“I don't swing that way, Lance, no thank you.” Bridget glanced at their dog tag as she spoke, beginning to stitch up their wound with gritted teeth.
“Ah, but come on, just give me a chance, all right?” He spoke, “I'll treat ya real well—”
“Don't think you can change my mind. Let me tend to your wound and get this over with…”
“No, hey- Come on—”
“She's not interested.” Leni interrupted his provocative actions.
Lance looked at Leni, “And who are you to say that?”
“She's clearly not interested.” She placed a telescope, facing the point.
Lance squinted his eyes over toward her, seeing catching a glimpse of their dogtag,“Ah, you're one of those traitors to the Empire. Makes sense why you're trying to push your ideologies to our King’s teachings. Men have more power over women, let us have our fun.”
“Do you not consider that she perhaps may not want to talk to you and just wants to do her job?” It was hard to keep her cool with this person around. "It's called basic human decency, one that you shits ought to learn."
“Look, she's clearly interested in me, she already knows my name—”
“From your dog tag.”
“Still—”
“How much more blunt does a person's words have to be for you to get the point, you fucking dunce? Do you not hear her declining? She doesn't want to lay with you.”
“As if she has the right to refuse—”
“We're in a war right now! We have bigger fish to fry than this, stop bickering with each other!” Bridget shouted.
“...” For once, the cavern wasn't filled with shouting and incessant screaming, and filled with cover fire and bullets whizzing past the tunnels. Bridget finished tidying up the gauze around the Soldat's shoulder, putting him back in the fray.
“Besides, we need all the help we can get.” she says under her breath, “We're not gonna get anywhere if we're always confronting each other's opinions and trying to change their ways.”
She does make a point. They continued to hunker down in the trench until the smokescreen finally washed away. As some straggling Empire Soldat's tried to make their way back to the point, they were gunned down by the other troops.
Finally getting the opportunity to escape the wide tunnel, she grabbed her telescope and unsheathed her sword, aiming it at the wall on the left. It was in an advantageous position, giving them cover when they decided to dig through in that area.
“Alright… If you're set, then we have a lot of digging to do.”
Her squad jumped from cover to cover, getting to a side of the tunnel to begin the flank to the side of Point A.
A couple of soldats began the excavation, with Leni and Bridget keeping watch on their six to make sure no one's sneaking up on them.
The silence was nearly palpable. Neither of them wanted to speak, but, with time, someone will cave in under the silence.
“... You didn't have to cover for me.” Bridget spoke.
Leni turned to face her, letting her sword drop slightly. “The Empire made sure everyone was treated equally.” She looked back to the entrance, “Thought I was just treated differently because I used to follow the Queen, but… I guess this is how they treat women here.”
Bridget nodded, letting them speak. “I've been meaning to ask…” Leni muttered, hoping this doesn't come out wrong, “Why don't you carry any guns on you? We're on an active battlefield, you have to protect yourself.”
She thought for a moment, “... Well, you were an officer. I doubt you cared much or stayed for long in the back lines.”
That is somewhat of a half-truth for Leni. She stayed in the back lines, but only to guide her men to do the tasks at hand. She never really cared for the people that were hurt, or that passed in the war.
“If I have to shorten it down…” She pulls out her trench mace, “I will never, ever use this, or anything else to take another person's life. I would much rather use my hands to save a person's life.”
“What if you were—”
“Even if I was in a situation where I had to kill someone for my own survival, I wouldn’t.” She holstered her mace, “I can't bring myself to do it.”
“Will you stop me from taking the lives of other people?”
“No, it only applies to me, I guess… I'll only be able to support you guys by mending wounds on the frontlines.”
“... Alright then.” She said, “Go help the others. I can take it from here.”
Bridget hesitated for a moment. It made sense, she can’t take the life of another but she can sure as hell subjugate and restrain somebody. Leni gave an affirming nod to her, which swayed her opinions on the matter. Her hands reached into the pouch containing various vials, mixing one of them as her hands guided her with memory. She gave a small wave before running back to the squad excavating the flank route out.
Like clockwork, she turned around and there stood an Empire Soldat searching the newly excavated tunnel. Her hand steadied as she aimed her revolver, hitting right in the abdomen of the Soldat. The Soldat flinched, but they dragged the barrel of their rifle up, firing a couple of rounds. She ducked under the rubble, before vaulting over the rocks, pushing herself off it and using the momentum, she pushed her blade clean through the Empire soldat.
She claimed the dog tag off of their body, only reminding her further of the betrayal she did of her own men. Why did they have to fight this war? In another world, they didn’t have to do this. The people of that world didn’t have to fight a war because one or more people wanted vengeance, power, control.
It just hurts to think about… But, she believes she’s on the right side. One of the teachings of the Empire was the fact they all have sinned. This was repentance, this was their only way of salvation to the Lord, to fight for a war they weren’t meant to fight, but they believed that they were meant to. It was all because of Her.
At the very least, she’s fighting for the cause that’s against Her teachings.
A rook and a couple soldats entered the tunnel. She was glad she dimmed her lantern out after taking out the Soldat earlier; they didn’t notice her until the rook fell from a clean shot to the head. The ones that haven’t fallen yet lit the tunnel up. The flashes showed her eventual approach, dashing her way around the tunnel until she laid two precise slashes to their neck, and came tumbling down onto the floor.
After taking their tags, she began to walk into the tunnel her squad had dug out, which impressed her with how quick they dug it out. She finds the opening to Point A, already seeing her squad up on the roofs of the barracks and supply rooms spraying bullets from above.
She shot her flare into the point, leaving her telescope on the opening of the tunnel before descending down, using her trench mace to slow her descent. She remained near the foundation, making sure she wasn’t seen as much all the while taking out the couple of Empire Soldats that were attempting to make a perimeter around her squad on the roofs.
3, 4, 5, 6… Last shot before she has to reload. Make it count.
She vaulted from the sediments of the cave and onto the wooden floor, letting her blade follow suit and scrape along the grain before slashing the tendons on a Soldat’s arm, using the momentum to initiate a thrust, plunging it in their chest.
Pulling the blade out, she notices a Lancer, facing her direction. Shit, these fanatics are the worst to deal with. They may be able to be put down with a couple of bullets, but she doesn’t have enough time to reload. The Lancer began to charge at her, their pole ax aimed right to the body of Leni.
The Pole ax suddenly flailed to the air; or more rather, it was bashed in by a mace, splitting the wooden handle in two as the Lancer took a couple steps back in shock of their main weapon suddenly breaking.
Bridget turned to face Leni, giving them a soft smile. “I said I wouldn’t take a life, and I won’t.” She pulled out a vial from one of her pouches, injecting herself with a said vial before tossing the vial out of her syringe.
The Lancer, in an attempt to take Bridget out, threw one of their throwing knives. She planned this, ducking and dodging to the side before weaving underneath their hook, grabbing some surrounding hemp rope. She moved around the Lancer gracefully, all the while the Lancer flailed around, trying to stop their advances. As they tried to lunge in an attempt to grab Bridget, Bridget began to tighten the rope by pulling it around their body, restraining them until they were on the floor, still trying their hardest to escape the ropes binding them.
As she securely tied the knot that bound the lancer, she turned her attention to Leni, “Well- what are you doing? Take the point already!”
Right, right… She went inside one of the buildings to at least remove the shell casings and to load a couple shots in, hiding behind shelves and other pieces of furniture inside to bide some time before she went back out.
The Nation’s troops that were within the tunnels— the ones leading to the point— noticed the diverted attention of the Empire’s forces, which gave them enough courage to run out of their cover and to raid Point A, giving the reinforcements the squad needed.
Leni made sure to keep her shots consistent, she can’t falter now. A couple other Soldat's tried to surprise her as she rounded the barrack’s outer corner, but she made quick work of them. Looking around, the place was filled with a lot more bodies than what they expected, but Point A is now taken by the Nation.
The rest of her squad made sure that the soldiers of the Empire would have a hard time to take back point A, with one rook beginning to make fortifications around the area, all the while Lance kept them safe with cover fire and keeping watch of the perimeter. The defenses were taking shape, and the Nation began to fully survey around the point to confirm no immediate threats or ambushes, leaving Leni to ponder for a moment.
Leni looked around, but not to survey the bodies of which she has taken the lives of, but for Bridget. She noticed her own scattering eyes diverting their gaze everywhere onto the point, and it scared her. Why was she looking for her? Was she not sure if she was safe?
Turning her attention to actively looking for Bridget around the point in hopes to quench her paranoia made her question one thing… Why? Why was this Mortician now in her head? In what would’ve been her continuous attempts to drown out the voices of her own men torturing her with their voices, all she could envision was her, her vision melding to both of them, around an empty lake in the caves.
It felt suffocating, to be without answers as to why she feels this way. She needed something, or someone, to confirm if this is real or not. Albeit, with some struggle, she puts one foot in front of the other, letting her boots get drenched within the water as she makes her way closer to who she thinks is Bridget— legs crossed, their mask looking in their direction while her hands were holding an Empire hat. Leni’s hat.
She sat in front of her, which made Bridget look up.
“... So why were you looking for me?” Bridget teased.
“I had to make sure you were safe.” She scooted a bit closer, “Where is this? Where are we?”
“We’re in your mind, silly.” She placed the hat on Leni’s head.
Leni grazed her fingers around the brim of her hat— she hasn't held it in a long while, especially after converting to the Nation. “... This vision is different.”
From the dungeons dug out on where she repented, her visions and hallucinations only festered when the disorientation kicked in, when the explosions and whizbangs around her became too much to bear, but those weren’t something as calm as this, not even the triggers for it. No bullets, no explosions, no gunfire from the tranquility of the recently captured point could’ve caused this— this really was different.
“I can imagine so,” She chuckled, before noticing their stricken gaze, “... Look, you don’t have to guilt trip yourself over your own survival.”
“They could’ve lived.” She covered her face with her hands. Her massacre within that room, what if it didn't happen? Would they have all escaped? Would she still be serving Her?
“And you could’ve died, Leni.” Bridget intervened from their inner monologue.
“Even so—”
“You were already considering to surrender, way before the Nation took those reinforcements down.” She averted her gaze from their staring, “The Queen’s orders began to seem meaningless to you. Her orders seemed to only heed humankind’s demise, and you didn’t want that.”
“...” She looked surprised, “How do you know this?” Leni was adamantly confused, “We’ve only met today, you’re…” She began to put two and two together once more, how forgetful could she be…
The moment of silence continued only for a second, until she took the hat from Leni’s head, pulling them back from the depths of their mind, “It’s about time you head back now, someone's looking for you.”
“Give me a moment, please, just tell me, who actually are you—”
“Leni!” Bridget shook her shoulders, her eyes disoriented from the sudden change in her vision, “Gosh, please tell me you’re okay…”
It felt nauseating, for her to suddenly come back like this, for her to keep moving, but she had to. For the first time, what she saw, what she heard, what she felt, it wasn’t… Them, it wasn’t the Empire, it wasn’t her men looming over her, their battered and desecrated bodies asking questions of her own betrayal. When her eyes adjusted to the figure in front of them and saw the tears etched into their mask, she knew it was Bridget. Her hands found their way around their torso, embracing them tightly.
“Leni-?” She muttered, clearly surprised by the sudden contact, but she reciprocated their embrace. Leni’s breathing was caught by her throat, her eyes beginning to water up and dampen their uniform. Bridget has had experiences like this— soldiers that couldn’t take it in the middle of the battlefield anymore, and some went as far as to meet the Lord early, either by their own volition, or by the enemy's conviction. This was the first time that someone cried in her arms, but she didn’t want them to think that they were alone on this, so she put her hands behind their back, patting it softly, attempting to comfort them.
“Of course, you choose to give the Empire’s traitor a chance,” Another passing Soldat sneered, grabbing a handful of clips from the ammunition pile, “She’d turn on you the first chance she gets.”
“... We took the point because of her.” She turned to face the Soldat, “She may be from the Empire, but she’s helped us more than we could thank her for, so show her some respect.”
The Soldat gave a demeaning stare, spitting in the direction of Leni's direction. “There's the respect I have for people like her.”
“Rhaez.” Lance walked up to them— his tone meant to establish authority over to Rhaez, “I don't like her. But, you wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for her execution of my plan.”
“Oh, so now you're letting a woman take the initiative over you? You've gotten even better at being a bitch—” He tried to laugh at him, but the rifle aimed at his face made him quiet quick.
“Do you really wanna do this?” Lance's hands were shaking, but, his fingers were already on the trigger.
“... Have it your way.” He spoke through his teeth, “Letting some bitch walk all over you and take your fame, how about that…” He walked away, continuing to mumble on and on before going into the tunnels.
Bridget turned away from Rhaez to face Lance, who was already staring at her with a demeaning, judgemental stare. Despite his appearance and his expression, he tilted his head, giving her a nod, which prompted her to do the same, before he went back in the tunnels too.
Leni continued to embrace her, their arms constraining her frame like a snake ensnaring their prey, only this occasion wasn't for their own survival or desires, more rather for comfort or an escape from something dire. Bridget gave them a pat on the back, attempting to get up and bring them away from the battlefield, at least for a moment.
If only, for a long, long time, maybe months or years from now, can all of them rest.