Red Dove Rising: 1639 (A Summoning Japan fanfic)

Prologue

10/12/1478, 2 KM from the town of Yorg, Rukenia, 4:20 PM.

“Check if your weapons and gear are in fine condition. Get ready, as were nearing our designated target.”

The voice from their squad leader only grew the sense uneasiness and uncertainty brewing inside the steel armored BKM-2 infantry fighting vehicle. The light emanating from the glass protected light bulb was barely enough to illuminate the gloomy faces the men inside projected. The ambient noise, coupled with the vehicle’s annoying vibrations produced by its diesel engine was also another factor that contributed to the dissatisfaction which each squad member harbored. Being fresh out of military training after conscription, these men were going to meet with the harsh reality of warfare. Thoughts of their friends that they met during their training dying was damming their young psyche into a lifetime of ptsd, if it did ever happen.

Despite this, the higher echelons of the Svalvard People’s Army and Air Force pressed on with their advance in the Rukenian front. The capital of their enemy was merely a town away, finally, after a year in the Second Pan-Continental war. That thought was what re-assured the men in the group that after this, they could finally take a break and wait for their next deployment somewhere else. One of these men was Maksov Kobalonov, a soldier that was about to taste his first actual experience on the fires of live combat.

Their metal ride eerily vibrated, as the sound of rockets coming from the attack helicopters shook their vehicle. There was a few seconds delay, till the distant sound of loud booms echoed faintly in the BKM-2 as the rockets hit their target. Curiosity filled the young man’s mind.

“What was that?

The man beside, comrade Kolrad Luchs, rolled his eyes due to his younger peer’s inquiry.

“Probably an enemy fortification being taken out. Seems like were nearing their defensive line. Civilian casualties might be unavoidable thanks to those fuckers intentionally placing their forces beside their own fucking families!”

Kolrad’s outburst only seeded worries in the young soldier’s mind, worries of having to face stiff resistance during his first deployment. Hailing from the least developed regions in the far eastern parts of Svalvard, Maksov had been accustomed to a usual snail paced life, far from the fears of rising tensions between the Great powers of all of Proterun. Because of that, he was shocked to be conscripted almost instantly after he reached the required age. Facing the harsh brutal training that trainees, like him, had to endure, he hoped that after the war is over, he’d be stationed somewhere where he wouldn’t have to use his gun against his enemies.

Now, with the thought of having to kill civilians just because their enemy was being dirty, it was terrifying.

“Damn this..”

 He adjusted the position of his lower part of body to ease the uncomfortable his feeling receptors were sending straight towards his brain. His movement created a clink as the new position disturbed the light machine gun slung on his back. Out of all the combat-ready soldiers present, he was one of, if not, the most anxious looking fellow among all of them, and one of his friends noticed this, and gave him a pat to the back.

“Relax, were probably barely going to kill any if the air forces did its job for us.”

The reassuring words from his best friend, Levi Keliskov, calmed down the uneasiness that he harbored, well, at least for now. He met his best friend in training a year ago. Levi had been there for him when he thought he could break from the stress, and he hoped that he’d be there for him for the rest of his life.

*BOOM!*

A loud explosion ringed in their ears, then IFV jerked to a stop. The force of the heavy armored vehicle suddenly halting its tracks forced the unfortunate ones who couldn’t balance themselves, sideways, subjecting the men to hit their comrades by pure accident. They clutched their body parts where the point of impact could be felt sending a sharp pain towards their brains.