chapter 2

Chapter Two

The large Antenov military cargo plane landed at a desert airstrip, and finally, the rear door opened. The sunlight flooded in, blinding and painful. Dust swept in, dulling the stench of vomit. Most of the passengers were farmers or unemployed men who had never flown before... myself included.

This was the city of Ligda, the capital of Giggenstan, or Gaganstan as the locals called it.

We were split into groups, our names were recorded, and we were handed khaki military uniforms with a faint green camouflage pattern. We boarded military trucks with canvas roofs. I saw Nikolai board one of the three trucks, which meant, fortunately, he would be with us. Along the way, I saw the local people for the first time.

They were dark-skinned, dressed in loose, strange clothing. Most of them wore beards and cylindrical hats, and some wore turbans. Giggenstan was a desert country, and neither I nor any of the southerners were used to such dry weather.

Dust filled the truck and entered everyone's noses, so I covered mine and endured it. It was the worst environment for my sensitive nose. The journey lasted about an hour, accompanied by two eight-wheeled armored vehicles—one at the front and one at the rear—each carrying a small turret with a short-barreled machine gun. It was the first time I had seen anything like them. We felt stifled by a heat we had never experienced before. So far, we hadn't been issued any weapons, making us easier targets than we realized.

We passed through rough desert terrain and then through a mountain range until the worn canvas-covered truck, packed with soldiers who looked like herds of cattle, finally stopped. I looked around; we were in a place dotted with scattered trees. The recruits scrambled to get off the truck with their bags, and I followed. As I jumped down, I was greeted by a muddy puddle that stained my clothes as soon as I touched the cursed ground. Mud soaked into my boots up to my knees. I almost fell completely, but I regained my balance just in time, avoiding the ridicule of those around me. It seemed like the driver had intentionally stopped there. The heat was cooking my body from the inside, aided by my rough uniform. To make matters worse, we wore dark green and khaki uniforms that didn't suit the desert environment at all.

We assembled in the middle of the small camp around a flag, which featured a horizontal white stripe between two blue stripes, with a green star in the center flanked by two lions holding a trident. The sensation of sweat dripping all over my body was disgusting. The captain emerged from a clay hut that originally belonged to the locals who once inhabited this desert farm.

The captain, with his narrow green eyes, watched us as he approached. Several officers saluted him. To be honest, I didn't know much about military ranks since they hadn't taught us much about them. He stopped and looked at us, noticing our disorderly formation.

In a rough Edwinian accent, he said, "I welcome you to your other homeland. I am Captain Sobak Tiran, commander of this battalion. Some of you may still be uncertain about why we're here or whom we'll be fighting. Well, I'll tell you. You're here for your honor, and you will fight anyone who threatens it. This ancient land is under threat from savage rebels who understand nothing of reason and seek to destabilize the country and spread their sick ideas throughout the region. But did we stop them? No! We were complacent in the beginning and said it wasn't our problem. Now, the north of our country is paying the price for that complacency and those misguided ideas. The national security of our land is our honor, and we will try to stop them by any means necessary. The damage isn't limited to the innocent, their lives, and their freedoms. They won't stop unless someone stops them, and it is our duty as honorable Domonians, famous for our fierce defense of our land and its security—besides the many times we've saved this country throughout history—"

(I learned that this land had once been part of the Sukhanian Empire before the great division. Wasn't Sukhania supposed to protect it? Especially considering the hate speech on the news channels against this country, which caused concern and suspicion. The truth is, I won't bother myself thinking about it; it will all become clear in time.)

"—So, you are the hope of your country first, and then the chosen ones of this land that has been violated. You are the hope of this oppressed people. Let history record that the free and noble sons of Domonia wrote the finest epics of sacrifice and determination against the conspiracies that toppled nations and peoples in the West and the Union. We all know that Westland is a partner in this plot against our country. So, men, this is the time to thwart every plan and kill every sedition."

He later explained to us the missions carried out by this camp, known as the Second Vengeance Battalion. Its primary task was to sweep the surrounding hills and nearby villages, as well as conduct foot and drone patrols within our designated area. After a few days, I would be part of the first patrol