Chapter 3: The Expendables

Private Avis Locus was the son of a farmer in the countryside, he finished primary and secondary education in the local school in their small town.

He was supposed to enter a public university but failed to pass the entrance exam.

He then helped his parents and siblings tend to their farm fields and cattle that they used for a living, that was Avis' job since he was not accepted into university, until his friend, Primis Liber, stumbled upon a recruitment boot in the center of their town.

Avis was encouraged by his friend Primis to enlist in the army and defend their country in a glorious battle, earning their fame and honor, as a man who failed to enter a university, Avis was thirsty for recognition, and he saw the army as a way to get that, as well as fame and honor where he imagined himself telling stories on the frontline to his family, friends, and the whole town.

Well, if things were only that easy…

Avis now found himself in a frozen state, it was his first day as an army man on the frontline, yet fate had already given him a hard challenge; to survive whatever hell he found himself in.

Gathering his resolve, Avis moved his feet as he walked toward his position in the trench, before the young man could take a step further, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He felt like he stepped on something, turning his head downward, Avis' heart felt like it fell, his shoulder seemingly a ton heavier.

The thing he was stepping upon, was none other than the friend he came along with.

His body was missing an arm and his lower body was almost torn apart, his face and body were full of blood and shrapnel from the artillery barrage.

Avis' mind couldn't handle the overwhelming situation he was in, he was trembling from fear and sadness, his eyes teared, and his feet couldn't move.

He was shaken violently by another soldier, "Wake up, private! Your friend's dead, if you continuously stare at him and act like a fucking tree, then his death would be meaningless! Move your fucking ass and shoot the enemies with your rifle and avenge your friend!"

Avis was forced to wake from his stupor, his eyes met with another soldier, Lieutenant Frederic Magnus, the troop leader of Avis' unit.

Avis then tried his best to calm himself, while still nervous, he moved himself and followed the instructions of his officer.

He positioned himself along with other soldiers, and raised his MAS-36 rifle, setting it up in a comfortable position on his shoulders.

He took a 5-round clip from one of the body armor's pouches and chambered the round into its internal magazine.

Shouldering the rifle and adjusting his steel helmet, Avis' eyes flamed with anguish as he looked on the no man's land, awaiting the enemies to seek revenge.

~•~

"Hurrah!!!"

"For the Tsar!"

"For the Motherland."

The soldiers in the trenches could finally hear the screams and war cries of the enemies, thousands of Russ fodders charged towards the trenches, wielding mixed weapons with minimal leadership.

Major Evans loaded and cocked his rifle and aimed it at the incoming horde of enemies, as the enemy reached a certain distance, the machine gun nests fired their weapons, raining hell upon the enemies.

Soon after, the soldiers fired their weapons as the enemies were mercilessly slaughtered under the hail of bullets.

Artillery soon joined the fighting as both sides shelled each other, Major Evans fired his rifle and hit his mark on a Russ fodder, he was quick to cock his rifle and shot another round, hitting another round.

And fodders soon returned fire with their weapons; they charged relentlessly.

Their advance soon became futile as they were blocked by the bar wires and the manned machine guns.

Killing a lot of them in the process, some of them ducked and marched slowly only to be trapped or taken by random bullets and artillery fire.

The expendables of the Russ Empire slowly dwindled, as the soldiers of Orientis eliminated them slowly, not long after, the battle ended with the Orientis Kingdom winning the first round.

The newbies celebrated enthusiastically, while the veterans merely gazed on their front, thousands of bodies scattered, the smell of blood and iron filled their lungs, something they were familiar with.

The newbies were disgusted, but that did not stop them from immersing in their joyous moment, meanwhile, the veterans could only shake their heads; they knew what was about to come after this, the reality of war would eventually steal the vibrant aura and energy of these inexperienced men.

~•~

A/N: I made this chapter despite being half asleep, I felt like I wouldn't have made this if I had slept and done it tomorrow. Anyway, what do you think of this chapter's war scene, is it satisfactory or meh? Comment here so I can know and hopefully improve it.