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Leaves of Autumn still lingers in her mind like a distant dream that visits her every single day. The heavy steps she made, the loss of innocence and belief in this world.
The “Girl.” She was long gone, replaced by a soldier loyal to her cause. But even bruised, tired, exhausted she gripped her sword, even if she doubted herself seeing the face of the enemy that was scared, probably more scared than she was. She still advanced forward and didn't let anything change her way.
But how long until she will lose her heart? It was a cold night, when the whistle blew.
“¡Los, Los, Los!” the Commander said, leading them straight into the depths of hell, to face the enemy that will not hesitate to bite them, and do everything so they can move further…
Even if that “further” is just one meter.
Adrenaline kicked her, as she slowly and deliberately walked with her sword, fire, explosions happened everywhere at once. Her steps were heavy, and that armor was so hot.
Still, she maintained her pace, and walked, doing everything in her power to advance. It was all that filled her mind, even one meter was enough.
Then she saw her, a face she never forgot.
Her hands were shaking, she was breathing heavily and just nearly lost her bayonet because of the explosion, and yet that girl charged at her like a beast, with nothing to lose. They tackled each other into the ground, determined to end each other.
And yet, she took the upper hand, and her life back then was at her mercy. Marsha didn't want to die, but she couldn't resist, her metal plates made it harder to do anything, she just hopelessly held the bayonet, muttering something in French. But when she saw the girl's face, she witnessed doubt and saw not the enemy, but a person just like her. Only later, after a year, she found that this girl’s name was Marianne.
They fought each other in those trenches, but none of them knew why they were doing this. What was the cause? They were just told the people on the other side were their enemies.
She lost that day, she was certain that the bayonet that pierced her throat was the end of her.
And yet. She survived. She survived, and left her duties. Perhaps Marianne didn't fully thrust the bayonet all the way, perhaps she was spared. But all those thoughts never bothered her, she left her duty and swore she would help people, not continue that senseless fight.
She was saved by the mercy of fate.
The girl she was long gone, the soldier she was, vanished in that field, but in her place came the “Knight” she was always meant to be.
And when she was walking around the city by Foundation matters, she saw a girl staring at a recruitment poster. Her eyes were burning with young innocence and desire for glory, the same passion she had back in her youth. The girl's hand reached the poster, but Marsha grabbed that hand.
“You don't need this, trust me.” all she said to her, and tore apart the recruitment poster.