SASHA'S POV
Standing in the middle of Ostria Military weapon's vault makes me realized something, I miss being in Volin. Out of all the modern weapon such as cutting-edge guns, rifles, weapons I never saw before, there is only one thing that caught my eyes.
The naginata, a traditional Japanese weapon widely used in feudal Japan.
"You want to use the naginata? That's odd since you will be going to an active war zone. Guns probably are more suitable." The commander suddenly appeared behind me as I admiring the naginata.
"Commander, may I ask you a simple question?" I face him while showing him the weapon I've chosen.
"Sure, ask away, young one." He wrote down the serial number of the naginata.
"You've been in the army since forever, correct? Don't answer that, that's not my question. My question is, how many people have you killed?" He was taken aback by my question.
"I'm ... not sure how should I answer that." I smiled.
"Why is it so hard to answer such a simple question?" I wrapped the leather harness around the weapon so that I could carry it on my back. Maybe I should pick a gun or a small knife just to be safe.
"Maybe ... few people. I don't know." Few Huh?
"Commander, when I was a senior in Volin, I've killed over 500 people until I was graduated. The list goes on from that." I strapped one of the guns on the table around my waist.
He was speechless.
"I'm not a soldier, I was not trained like you or the rest of the soldiers here in this camp. I am a killer, an assassin." I said that with a smile.
"I'm only here to marry the princess, to make her family happy for sending me to the war zone. This may look like a game for you and the others but for me, it's a challenge between love, life, and death." I patted his back before I went to the door.
"It's maybe not my place to say this but ... don't you have a family to care for?" I smiled at him before I went out of the room, leaving him alone to think about his future.
Well, he should be thinking of his future since he's agreeing with Prince Albert decision to send me in the middle of nowhere.
Does he think that sending me to a remote terrain will stop me from getting to Adelaide?
"It's good that you finally manage to be with us." Huh?
"You'll be joining us for today's mission, love." Love? From the stripes on her uniform, she's a major. Angelica? She looks familiar to me.
"From what the commander told me, you're a student of Volin, am I right?" I gave her a little nod before looking behind her. Is this the group that will be joining us today?
"Yes, my mentor is Lady Irina Volin." Her eyes beamed.
"Ahh .. maybe I should properly introduce myself. My name is Angelica, a member of the 7 Demon, sitting on the throne of luxuria or lust." Hold on ... 7 Demon?! THE 7 Demon?!
My eyes widen, I can't believe this! I'm actually in the presence of a legend. She's one of the members of Volin most elite team of assassins. Rumor has it that only lady Irina has the full authority in giving them their orders.
That woman, my mentor, she's one of a kind.
"I received orders from Irina. She said that I should let my foot down and watch your expertise in taking a human life. She also said that my soldiers will benefit a lot from watching you." That woman ...
"I don't know what she meant by that but I am not a trained soldier like you guys. I'm just a killer." I'm being modest. The major chuckled.
"If my soldier decided to wield a spear rather than a rifle in a midst of battle, they probably die in mere seconds. I have to ask, why a spear?" Huh? Why?
A Volin alumnus asked me why I choose the naginata?
"Why naginata you ask? Hmm ... I have to say it's because ... it's easier for me to kill my enemy, I guess?" I chuckled while the major and the rest of the soldiers behind her look at me with widen eyes.
***
"Hmmm ... it's official, we're screw." The major sigh heavily before facing me.
We're lost in the middle of nowhere after we were drop off. Seems like my little talk with the commander didn't change his mind from continuing with his act.
"The commander gave us the wrong map, with wrong checkpoints and terrain. This is bad, really bad." The major's right. I never thought the commander would be this cruel towards his own underlings..
"No worries," I said but I know this is such a worrisome situation we have to endure. Not to mention that almost all of the soldiers in this platoon are freshly graduate soldiers.
"First we need to find a clean source of water and the perfect place for camp. Some of you need to be on scout, search the area for enemy's trails or traps. Some of you have to be in charge of finding us food because I know that that bastard wouldn't be sending us any." The major immediately take matters into her own hands.
"Major, I'm sorry if I spoke out of place but, are we going to die out here?" Asked the youngest out of us here.
"No your not soldier. We're going to survive this." The major smiled at him before facing me after he went back to his group.
"We're going to survive this, right?" Why she's asking me?! She's the major here!
Relax, take a deep breath and never let fear overwhelms you, Sasha. You got this! This is nothing compared to that mission where you have to sleep with an old bastard.
"We're going to survive this. Don't worry." I smiled but I have no idea how to overcome this. They're all here because the prince thought I'm just a nuisance for him to get his sister into the Irisha family.
We have nowhere to go now. I'm afraid that if we went even further into the forest, we might end up kill not by the enemy but Mother Nature itself. It's bound to happen if someone feels hopeless and given up on their life.
"EVERYBODY HIDE!" The major suddenly said before grabbing collar by force. We both hid ourselves behind a huge tree trunk.
It's the enemy! I could easily make out almost ... 10 figures making its way towards us.
"Are you sure you heard chattering around here? Or was it just your mind playing tricks on you?" What a deep voice he has!
"Yes, Lieutenant! We both heard chattering not long ago, sir!" They said to their superiors.
The major placed her finger on her lips so that the others would remain quiet until they walk past us. I can easily kill them all before they even point their rifle at me but I know, it's wise for me to listen to the major since she's has more experience in this field.
Once they all went through us, I stood up from the trunk and sigh. We manage to avoid making contact with them but what about future encounters? Can these young lives manage to survive an ambush?
"Sasha, we need to think of a strategy when we encounter them. They deserve to be happy, to live their life." The major really asking for my help now? Some veteran she is.
"If we ever have to face an ambush, let me do all the work while the rest of you cover my rear. Like you said earlier, they deserve to live, to be happy." I patted her shoulder before giving out orders for the rest of them to do.
The major smiled before she did the same.
"Sasha, should we make camp? I'm sure most of us need some time to rest." Camp huh ... maybe we all need some time to rest.
"There's no need to build a camp. We're not going to stay in one place that long. We have to keep moving." The Major informed. That's a smart move.
"Sasha, please come with me." The Major ushered me to follow her somewhere lead by one of the scouts.
"Look at that. That bone head commander of our platoon sending us right at the devil's door. Do you think we can ask for their help?" Is she nuts?! That's the enemy base camp!
"Sasha, I think you know what do I mean by that, right?" Is she for real? She wants me to go down there alone?
"You're technically a civilian. There's a strict rule about civilian, we can exploit that for our own good." She has an evil mind! Evil I say!
But ... it's the only way for us to survive this. God, I hate this woman!
***
"Ahem!" I can't believe I'm actually walking into the enemy's territory like this.
"This is a restricted area! Go back to wherever you came from." The enemy soldier that guarding gate pointed their rifles at me before I raised both hands.
"Hold on! She's a civilian!" Said another voice that's emerging from the inside of the gate. The guards lowering their rifles before went to my side patted my body for weapons.
"What shall we do about her? We can't simply allow civilian in our camp, sergeant." I think they're hiding something big in this camp. If not, why would they act so anxious knowing a harmless civilian made its way to their camp in the middle of nowhere?
"Why are you here? How did you manage to survive by yourself in this thick forest filled with beastly animal alone without any weapon? Don't you know that this is an active war zone?" This is the sergeant, I think.
"I'm lost. I lost my way home." I need to show that I am harmless, weak even. I need them in their most vulnerable state.
"There's no need for us to be that anxious, she's a civilian. Bring her to the camp. She may be our enemy but she's not the one who's wearing the green uniform." I smiled at the kind soul that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"But captain, our specific orders are to kill any trespasser, not helping a stray human." The sergeant is righteous. That's a good quality in the army.
"Sergeant, I'm just sick and tired of listening to such bias orders from the top brass. Why would they attack a country for having a diamond mine? As I recalled correctly, Ostria has been nothing but nice to us before this mine issues. To me, it's our country's fault if the soldiers die in the hands of the enemy hands." The captain is bitter about his own superior.
"Besides we're at the foot of the mountain. I'm sure she needs our help. Once we send our scout down for food and clean water, they can lead his young lady to the nearest village, right?" The captain smiled at me while the sergeant sighs heavily.
"Follow me." The sergeant seems reluctant but he follows the captain's order without saying another word about it.
"What is your name?" He asked.
"Sasha."
"Alright Sasha, our scout will only make their way to the nearest village for clean water and food tomorrow morning. You have to spend the night here." That's good news for me, if I'm planning to be save.
"This is the tent where we eat. Come in." He leads me inside and introduces me to the ... lunch lady? God! That's a piercing state!
"What now Barney? The captain has done it again?" The sergeant nods his head.
"God! He can't simply help every civilian that waltz in here! What if they're spy send by the enemy soldier?" Hmmm ... she's good. I need to keep my eyes open for her. She's too smart for a lunch lady.
"Barney, is it true what I heard? That the enemy sending their troops at the boundary line? Why would they do that? It's never happened before." The sergeant sigh.
"It's because the Ostria princess wanted to find a suitable partner for her to marry. It's dumb actually. Why would the royal family sending their candidate to the war zone?" They laughed.
Because it's the princes' version of getting rid of me, the other candidate.
"Maybe to eliminate the female candidate. The Ostria royal family wants to kill the female candidate so that they could marry the princess to the male candidate. That's what the rumors are saying." The sergeant added. It's not a rumor, it's true story.
"Is that why the brass wanted to make use of this situation?" The sergeant nod at the lunch lady's question.
"Our troops will make its move to kill those Ostria bastards. The recon team informed us that the enemy troop seems lost without any map or lead. They're betrayed by their own commander. Soon this war will be over and I can get to see my newborn little girl." Despicable.
Seconds ago he was acting all barbarian.
"Barney, I doubt the war will be over soon. The Count won't be giving the rights to have the diamond mine that easily. You know how our Count does his work. He's crazy enough to start this war." The lunch lady sighs.
So the Count was the one who started this bullshit?!
***
"SCREAM! SCREAM ALL YOU WANT! NOBODY CAN HEAR YOU!" With a Cheshire grin on my face, I stabbed his chest repeatedly. His blood squirted out of his body to my clothes and face, bathing me with the scent of iron.
Once I'm done, I turned to face the major.
"Major ... you did bring spare clothes for me, right? I don't think it's wise of me to walk around covered in human blood." I asked the major before she nod.
She was speechless when she saw me pulling my spear from one of the many corpses around me. It was a great decision for me to hid my naginata.
"What?" I asked when the others seem to be shocked at the fact that I manage to kill these many enemy soldiers alone.
"I'm sure some of them manage to escape but don't worry, I prepared traps everywhere around this camp's perimeter. I was taking my sweet time planted a lot of them too." I said while wiping the blood from my blade that's dripping onto the ground.
"You're the child of Natalya for a reason. You're standing at the same level as your mother." The Major praises me.
"Thank you for saying that. I am honor to be labeled as high as that." I smiled. The major sigh.
"We manage to take over an enemy camp, meaning we also manage to spread Ostria's territory as well. This camp is ours. Anyway, why did you leave them?" The major pointed at a few of the enemy soldier that's sitting on the ground, obviously traumatized by what they saw.
"They're good people." I simply said.
"Also Barney is a father." The Major sighed.
"Major! We were able to make contact with HQ using their radio transmitter. Should we call for backup?" Ah ... they manage to fix it.
"There's no need for us to inform the commander. We should inform the general that we manage to take over the enemy's communication hub. Let's do it now a sergeant." The major smiled.
Does that mean I did something good? Is it enough to marry Adelaide?
"Seems like the commander's decision to send us in the middle of nowhere paid off, somehow." The Major chuckled.
"Also you need to change. I can't handle the amount of iron I'm smelling right now." Now she's decided to say something about my bloodied clothes?
"Sasha. You have a message from the palace. It says you passed." Did I? That was easy enough for me to achieved.
"Hmm ... that's good. Meaning I can go home, right? Oh! Leave a message for the princes' for me. Just tell him that I'll be coming for him and his brothers next." I patted the messenger shoulder while he looks up at me with wide eyes.
"AN AMBUSH!!" I heard somebody shouted not far from where I am. Ambush? After I kill everyone who's in my way?
"Stay here and make sure to ask for back up." The messenger nod.
Making my way towards the commotion, I noticed the major on the ground, pressing her lower abdomen.
"You got hit?" She nods while showing me her wounds. It went through her body huh.
"Sniper? Where are the others?" She was in too much pain to answer me. She probably let them hide from plain view.
"You should hide. I can manage alone when they came here. There probably trying to help those who still alive." And leave her alone? No way.
"Step away from the major ..." The man was lost at words when he saw what happened at their former camp.
"What in the world happened here?! You?! You did this?" I haven't got time to change after all. The blood told them what they need to know.
"Yes, this is my doing. Why? Want to have a taste as well?" I was grinning at the enemy soldier.
"A monster! You're a monster!" Ahhh ... this is the best feeling in the world. Having this many people pointing their guns at me reminds me of the good old days of being an assassin.
"Eh ... I've been called worse than a monster. Anyway, boys ... and girls. Want to play with me and my little spear? Need to warn you all though, I haven't sharpened it up after killing your friends." I was preparing myself when one of them suddenly lunges at me.
Stupid move. I took a step forward and stab him in the chest, pulling him up in the air, dangling him for a few seconds before he died.
"I caught a big one, yes I did!" I laughed before threw the motionless body towards his comrades.
"Come on! Come and get me! I am waiting!" Before they could do anything to me, my comrades including the major beginning to shoot their guns at the enemy. Maybe this is the bliss of working as a team.
The major dropped her gun and wailed in pain when she move her body.I decided to make my way towards the man in charge of the enemy troops.
I look down on him while he tried to find a way to breathe. He's dying, maybe I should help him find a ... peaceful death.
"Do you have a last wish?" I asked as I kneel down.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach before looking down at the source of it. He manages to stab me with his knife. With a smile on his face, he pulled me closer to his mouth.
"Rot in hell." He said before he died. I sigh as I pulled the knife from my stomach.
Does he really think that this little knife could kill me? I was in a countless experiment with Professor Hynera not for nothing.
"Major, will you be okay?" I asked as I walk towards her who is now laying on her own pool of blood.
"I can manage ... What about you?" She asked, referring to the small wound.
"I can manage as well. You think you can hold it until someone from HQ come?" She nods, assuring it's going to be okay.
Well, she's a Volin alumnus not for nothing. She's an elite assassin after all. I'm sure she has many tricks under her sleeves.
I sure hope so.