If I die tomorrow...

" How about you give me your assistance when I need it."

There was silence between them as they looked at each other with different thoughts running through their minds.

On Rome's part, he had become weary of the Soldier in front of him. All he had wanted was to keep a low profile but it seemed that the possibility of that happening was drawing further and further away from his grasp.

With Atlas on the other hand he felt intrigued by the younger Soldier. Perhaps it was because of his overall countenance.

"Atlas." He declared while offering his hand for a handshake.

Rome stared at his outstretched hand for a moment as if considering whether or not to accept it in a handshake.

"Rome."He relayed with an almost expressionless voice." For now, I remain indebted to you."

Atlas turned around and walked away from him. He had just walked a few meters toward the door when he suddenly stopped in his strides.

"Proving that one is better than an opponent, shouldn't be something that one holds back from doing, by not holding back it only confirms factually that one is better in comparison to the opponent."

From that moment onward, a bond was formed between them, one that couldn't be explained, they could be detailed as friends but then again they couldn't be called enemies either.

'For now, I would be indebted to you

He had never known these words would one day come to hunt him.

Eight years later (Northern military barrack)

"Hey, kid." Someone called, his voice steady and slightly hoarse with a masculine tone, addressing a figure who sat silently by the dock while watching the scenery before him.

He didn't bother to glance backward in acknowledgment of the new fellow because he already knew the owner of the familiar voice.

The other figure continued on his stride until he stood a meter behind the seated fellow.

" Do you intend to ever stop using such titles with me?" the seated fellow asked plainly in an impassive modulation, his voice was bold and masculine, but his gaze was still fixed forward.

"I'm not sure, old habits die hard." The standing fellow expressed boredom evident in his voice as he joined the seated figure to gaze at the peaceful and motionless sight of the sea.

He suddenly pulled out a pack of cigarettes and placed a piece of it on his lips after which he brought out a lighter from his trouser pocket to light up the cigarettes.

"I didn't expect to see you here....Colonel" He relayed after which sucked in the smoke and exhaled afterward.

" I needed some fresh air."The seated fellow conveyed, his response short to the point that it could be regarded as curt."And you, this isn't everyone's favorite spot."

"I needed a smoke"

Glancing at the seated figure, he noticed the fellow gazed remained fixed forward but he was gripping onto something with care.

The pendant he thought.

Moving his gaze forward he exhales the smoke once more.

Silence consumed them for a while until the seated fellow broke the silence.

" You still smoke"He voiced curtly more in form of a statement than a question.

"Yeah"The other fellow replied leisurely.

" For a soldier about to see their loved one, your attitude doesn't seem like an excited one."He expired and continued."Or perhaps it's just me"

The seated fellow didn't bother to object to the other fellow's assumption.

Some might find it awkward that he didn't seem the least bit excited, and in a way, his attitude almost appeared impassive.

"You've made a name for yourself in the military, I'll say that's impressive". He breathed out and then proceeded" By the end of tomorrow you'll officially be a general, the youngest in history but even that means nothing to you....Rome"

His words were followed by silence.

"I doubt that my popularity would correlate with that of your hair"Rome expressed his voice still expressionless even at his failed attempt at humor.

Noticing his attempt to change the topic the other fellow didn't push it but rather chose to play along with it.

" Perhaps."He commented as if in thought." Thought about getting it cut but I noticed the ladies were quite fond of it."

The silence consumed them once more.

"You should get some rest, it will be raining blood tomorrow."

Throwing what was left of the cigarette he turned around in an attempt to walk away but was stopped in his strides by a voice.

"General Atlas, if die tomorrow...." Rome called out, his voice bereft of emotions."Tell her not to wait for me."

Atlas didn't bother to turn around, his thoughts were solely focused on the younger soldier's words.

He knew whenever there was a formal tone between them it likely involved a serious matter.

To him, the younger soldier's words made no sense. Amongst the large number of soldiers present in the military, he had a much better chance at survival, and for the past eight years they had known each other, he never gave off an agitated spirit before the battle.

If he were to read the situation as it was, it sounded like he was sure he would die tomorrow.

Deciding not to put much thought into it, he shoved it to the side and walked away.

"""""""''''''''"""'

(present).

It happened so fast that when it was all over he had already lost a Soldier and a friend and his last words continued to hunt him.

" I never liked to be indebted to people, now we are even."

""""'''"""""''

(Somewhere in the Mortal realm).

In the darkness of the night, the wind blew slightly causing the sand to swivel around

with the wind. The background appeared desolate with an endless landscape of sand, calm and peaceful with only the serene the night could bring.

But the calmness did not last for long as the silence was ruffled by a disturbance.

What appeared to be an entry way to a different domain surfaced out of the blue and five cloaked figures walked out of it.

" The mortal realm, home to the most feeble of creatures." one of them declared, having a masculine voice which was deep and intense, which had mockery and contempt laced in his voice.

"Or is it" He muttered, moving his eye around his new vicinity.

The other four left his question pending as they gave their focus to their new locality.

A frown slowly formed on their lips.

"Well isn't this interesting." One of them voiced, this time having a feminine voice as she folded her arms."Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think this was supposed to happen or was it?"

She turned towards the figure to her left in inquiry.

"Your not wrong." The figure to her left stated in responds to her as he moved his hands in the air while drawing symbols, his gaze solely fixed on the symbols he had been drawing.

" I think there has been some miscalculations." He declared, he voice steady and bold.

Another of the cloacked figures crouched to the ground, picking up a bit of sand and sniffing it.

"Miscalculations or not, this is definitely the Mortal realm." He said, pouring back the sand to the ground. His voice was slightly deep but having an aggressive tone.

They continued to examine their surroundings when suddenly the first figure with the harsh deep voice, relayed in anger."I knew we should have told the witch to do it, then this would have been avoided."

"Asking the witch to do it wouldn't have changed anything Callen and the witch has a name." The cloaked figure making the symbols voiced in a dispassionate modulation, his eye still fixed on the symbols.

"Says the one who wanted to play wizard." Callen remarked.

"Whether it's magic or just making runes, it impossible to go against nature there are bound to be backward effects, i don't know if you understand this but I clearly you don't, we have just moved through realms, it not the same as using portals to move in the same realms this is different"The figure making symbols explained with mockery evidence in his voiced.

Callen fumed in anger at his words almost rushing towards him when someone called him back.

" Callen." The figure who had been squatting called out.

With that, Callen turned away and tried to calm his anger by focusing on something else.

"Whatever." He muttered.

The wind blows slightly pulling their robe with it.

"So how do we get out of this endless landscape of sand."The cloaked figure with the feminine voice asked.

" I'm not sure Amber, I just need some time to..."

"Micheal." The cloaked figure who had been silent throughout the whole exchange called out grabbing everyones attention.

"What are the possibilities of a vortex"He inquired.

The fellow who had been drawing symbols in air, stopped suddenly for a brief moment as he reasoned aloud.

" The essence around here is weak, undoubtedly it is impossible for an average witch or wizard but it isn't impractical."

With that figure who had raised the question stretched out his hand as he voiced audibly."Reserare."

At his words what looked like a whirling hole of water appeared and three figures walked our of it.

"Welcome Master Dane."They voiced in unison.