XIX The Three Day Plan - 2

Inside his room, he watched the mass of recruits march towards the gate in a fashion he had never taught to Heduc or the rest of the gang. Are such marches common? They must've been, but if it was common or uncommon, the march had certainly drawn his attention. He tidied himself up once more and opened the door. Luckily, his squad members were walking just at the very hallway afore the door. "Come with me!" He yelled.

They ran to him. And as they got closer, Hierd then began to ran himself. From down the stairs and to the manor's lobby, they opened that front door and went outside, the march crowded the road and Hierd could barely see the end of both road-ends. The people were at the sides and looked amazed at the marching soldiers. It was, reported by the person whom Hierd first heard, "The first military parade I've ever seen in Unchean!" 

From each 'Hup! Hup!' Was a deep 'Thud!' That had pounced the ground with their leather, black boots. The boots hitting the ground were rather soothing to his ears and the stern, serious faces of those soldiers were enough to make Hierd laugh inside and imagine he was Stalin in front of his thirty-eight thousand deployed soldiers. They had already been given guns (lugers) and too the sword and scabbard which the two was tied to their belts. It made them looky more knightly than ever! And the citizens who were overlooking it was more than excited to see their loved ones or their neighbors walking in shoes with heavy soles and serious faces. 

He kept watching, but after some time, the rows and rows of soldiers were eventually to come to some end, and from the corner of his eye, he spotted a truck at the very back of it all. The truck came closer to Hierd.

It abruptly stopped. And then the driver-side window was rolled down. "Good Morning, capta- I mean, lord Hierd!" Alrife remembered Hierd had just ascended from roles. 

He looked quite rough, his face was as if he was playing in the dirt whilst fighting a horde of wolves along at it. "Morning to you too, Alrife. May we board the truck? I wish to watch the training." 

"Hop inside!" He said with a smile. "However, please note that there are quite a few boxes inside, and it may get a bit cramped."

"That is alright."

He went to the back and the fumes that exuded from the exhaust pipe made the surrounding atmosphere rather hot. And inside the truck, it was even more so. It made him think for a second about the implications of introducing pollution into a medieval world. But an "Eh." Came out instead of worrying.

The lord sat on the seat nearest the edge, and when the truck began driving. He waved at the people who were noticing his presence at the back of the car. Such individuals showed no such fear as did the first day he was there, it relieved him to see it.

But soon the truck and the march of people had all gradually exited the city and the people were left to themselves to ponder upon the display they had just saw. Beside the street and overlooking the manor two figures stared from a wide window the street below. 

"That was quite the spectacle!" It was Adelheid and he remarked it with a smile. 

"Rather, indeed, sir." Jamie said with a smile. It, lifting up her round glasses. "The new lord, not officially recognized by the king, or any king rather. Had done something the past generations of the Winter family couldn't have had done, in a week, no less."

Adelheid looked at her, "Well, the winter family, I, my father, and all the greats, had their own limits. He, Hierd, does not. He can conjure these technologies like it was a feat easier than breathing. Sir Naturvege told of I that he came from a country long distant, called; Germany."

"Germany?" She repeated. "I have yet to hear such a foreign sounding country. He says he comes from a continent another yet brings these technologies here like such a country was as near as eye to eyelid."

"Then the questions brings itself up. Where and how?" They stood both in silence. And for a minute, was it peaceful. Before a knocking began to rock the wooden door. 

"Hello!? We are the teachers, sent by the lord!" Came the feminine voice.

"I shall get it." Adelheid then began to walk towards the door. Buckling the handle open and swinging it open. "Good Afternoon, sisters, you may enter." 

The place was rather huge, it was a school, of sorts, for the more fortunate people of Unchean to learn dance. Such a thing was important for the privilieged to know, to understand, and do. For in a ball, no man should dare not feign that he knows when in reality he doesnt. The place was decked-out in chairs and tables just for the event, and the entire school was now occupied by soldiers and other officials. There were, in the building, ten or so rooms that same size as this one, fitting a mass of thirty chairs. Each were nice and looked new and were very stable as Hierd 'ordered' of it from his home country just the night before. 

The sisters looked at the room with awe as they began to trance around the massive room. "It is much more bigger than the orphanage!" One remarked, "And it too has an echo!" She laughed.

"Yes! You are right, Cephilia! This place is much more bigger!"

They were, as Adelheid saw, one of the only two who had verbally showed their own opinions, whilst the older sisters were more calm and collected and dared not speak. 

"Sisters!" He yelled out. They then looked at him, the two had stopped their talk too. "I am sorry for shouting. However, this room will be mine, there are ten more rooms where your assistance will be needed, you may choose on which shall be your class. And by some time, the soldiers will come to their assigned classes." He then looked at Jamie who was looking still at the street. "Miss Jamie!" 

Alerted, she jolted and looked at Adelheid, she became quite flustered. "You may address me as Jamie, Sir Adelheid."

"Then... Jamie, you may go to your picked room now." She walked towards him, and before she headed out, looked away from him in a hidden shyness. Seeing such, the rest of the nuns followed and they, one by one, had all exited the room. 

( * )

It was exactly when the sun had stroke the sky's limit that they had entered the forest of Tria. Hierd looked up at the sky awaiting for when they hit the village. "The church's bells should've had rang by now, correct?"

"Yes, that is, lord." Answered one of his squad members after just after looking at the sky as well. 

"Say," He looked back down on the ground, the dirt road the truck drove on. "Unchean forces with ours, we'd gain... About two-hundred-seventy? Two-hundred-sixty? Soldiers. During Auferstehen, each section of wall would need about thirty soldiers defending it. And because of the boom of people that are in Unchean during that time, I suspect a large crowd of monsters." He then shifted his gaze at his squad. "We need more then just mines, do we? We need something more."

One raised his hand. "Lord, cannons can deal a lot of damage, this has been seen in previous battles with monsters, however, it's usefullness is limited to the single line of accuracy. Which should hit it's heart or it's legs to... Immobilize the target."

"Light machine guns, the FG42s I already make them use won't be enough, would it? I would need to introduce something with more fire power." He rested his head onto his left palm. "Heavy machine guns? They would need to be carrier by truck, but they're heavy for a reason, can soldiers even lift them up the wall stairs? Ah... Who else would WW2 happen if not for human brute force? I'll introduce the weapon today in the training." 

"I guess I should introduce yet another weapon in the armory." 

"Another weapon, lord?"

"Yes, it is called; the heavy machine gun."

They pondered amongs't each other. "Our issued FG42s are light machine guns, what does a heavy machine gun do?" 

He smirked. "It's heavy, and it's better at killing things."

( * ) 

After what seemed like an hour, Hierd finally saw the river after miles of forest. Pristine as ever, nothing had changed. The mines had already been cleared from the party that went to retrive the villagers and the prisoners. Though, there were still traces of a battle and some barricades had yet to be removed. 

Crossing the bridge, Hierd departed the truck. He saw all of the soldiers lined up, exhausted yet excited to finally get their own guns.

With his squad following him, Hierd advanced further up the village to see whether he could find and talk to Naturvege (as he was the one conducting the training). His squad formed a bubble around him, pushing aside the recruits who had blocked their way. The eyes who were drawn to Hierd had caught the attention of the squad leaders.

He saw the sillhouetes of them coming closer to him. 

With a smile, Heduc introduce himself. "Good Afternoon, lord. Can I ask why you're here?"

"I'm here to showcase a new weapon." Heduc's eyes widened after hearing such.

"A new weapon!?" He blurted out, causing the crowd just beside him to look at them more intently. "What may this weapon be?" He said in a quieter tone. Verdel and Gelmund had suppressed in-a-way their excitement at holding another weapon. 

"You'll see, Heduc. You may continue the field training. And, please; give my thanks to Naturvege for me." 

"Yes I will, my lord." 

Jeane walked up to Hierd. "Lord, will you watch the whole of the training?"

"I may or may not. However, I think it likely that I will leave soon after I have showcased the new weapon. As I have some... Business to attend to at Unchean."

She nodded. 

"I hope I haven't disturbed your work, you may all go back now."

They bowed and began to walk the way they came from, clearing the recruits who were in the way. Hierd then switched his sights over to his squad members. 

"You all may stay here for awhile. I wish to be left alone in the cabin."

"We wish to accompany you, you might be ambushed by something or someone."

"'might.'" He repeated. It became silent, looking at their serious faces. He then said; "There's nothing to fear, you may stay and observe the recruits whilst I am away."

"But still-"

"This is now an order."

"Yes, lord." The man at the middle stuttered to say. And after a brief stare-down of sorts, Hierd turned and walked away.

The recruits were heading towards that field. However, it was rather unorderly as it was the first time they had ever had such a large 'orientation' of sorts. And Naturvege, Heduc and the squad leaders had never even lead such big a number. But ultimately, they were determined to set straight what their lord, Hierd wished for them to do. 

As Hierd passed and walked around the soldiers, they bowed and said their greetings of afternoon to the lord. They looked exhausted from the march but Heduc forced them to bring water canisters. As Hierd had yet to introduce canisters from his era, they made do with their own wooden capsules which resembled quite like bamboo. 

Naturvege's house stood up, undisturbed from the turmoil from the battle and the people from today. The front door was visibly locked and so did the padlock entail. Hierd made no advances and continued to the backyard. 

A quick turn, and the green back had showed itself in all its glory.

His cabin was a sight to behold, the days of his not opening of that wooden door had made the thing creek rather awkwardly open. Hierd had even needed to pull on some vegetation as it was blocking the door's opening. 

"Ah, my room. What has happened since last we met?"

He looked like a new tenant that had recently bought his first apartment. He stepped in with his dirt covered boots. But before he could dirty the place even more, he took them off. 

Looking from corner-to-corner. At the ceiling and at the floor. it was quite dirty and he saw quite the number of small bugs. To sleep in this thing was to sleep in hell, he thought. He hated bugs, but he also hated creepy crawlies most. The mere thought of a centipede even getting in his sight disgusts his very being. 

He very cautiously stepped on the wooden floor and towards his table. He looked everywhere and on his socks specifically, as if there were any said so creey crawlies he would jolt and jump out at the first sight of one.

It was still as messy as last he was here. And that accursed black ink still was there and looked to not have dried. And to the corner of his eyes, "The M1 Garand." He touched and looked at it in spectacle. But then a thought raced his mind. "This thing is better than a bolt-action gun, right? But the Kar98 is timeless! It's a man's fantasy, the kar98. But I can't argue about the M1 Garand's mystique and beauty and of course that 'ping.'" He then backed away a bit, examining the gun and pondering in his mind. 

"Ah!" A light bulb opened in his head. "The Venit Ille Black use the M1 Garand, whilst the rest use the kar98k! I'll probably try and see if the craft guild's dwarves can make the luger then the kar98k. Before making the whole of the army use the M1 or maybe even that german assault gun! The... The..." It was right at the tip of his tongue, yet his brain couldn't conjure up an image. Irked by his brain's inability to even do that, he started pressing on it with his two and groaning in a low tone. "What is it, what is that gun!"

A flash.

A realization unknown to man.

If he didn't know the name, then why not just summon it? Using some vague descriptions he knows! What a good idea, he commented to himself. "Give me a German, World-War-Two assault rifle that was developed by the germans and is also... Is also known as the grandfather of all assault rifles." He said the last sentence with a grin of confidence. 

[REQUEST GRANTED: STG-44] 

"Yes! Yes! That, the STG-44! I finally got it!"

After a blink's speed, the gun was laying on the white sheets of the undone bed. It was beautiful, and even he, Hierd, who had never in reality got to see in real life such a gun, his looking at it now gave him an excitement never before. he grabbed the grip and began to feel it with his gloved-hands. 

Keeping his hands away from the trigger, he then examined the magazine for rounds, and surely, there was a full lot of them inside. "This is sick, this I should probably keep here, but in the meantime, I should figure about how to get a 'HEAVY' machine gun towards the field." 

-AT THE TRAINING FIELD- 

Naturvege was at the front of all One-Hundred-Eighty recruits, just as Hierd had did in his time as Venit Ille's savior, Venit ille's captain. His eyes hit every head of the soldiers, peering at them intently and just as intensely. It took quite the minute for the soldiers were a bit chatty, however, like when a teacher stops talking infront of a class, they had stopped gossiping amongs't each other as they saw that Naturvege was standing firmly and looking sternly. 

"Now, we will begin the training with a simple yet very important reminder."

They held their breath.

"These guns." He held up his own luger. "Are inventions, something that is created. And just as it can be created, it can dismantle itself. No invention is perfect, we know this. Day in, and day out, you have the obligation, the responsibility, to clean your lugers as would one clean their swords to avoid rust! Do you all understand!?" They replied with a loud; "Yes, sir!" 

"You are to be supplied with the proper cleaning supplies and manuals about how to operate and clean such things - And!" He blurted out, shocking them. "If these lugers turn to us in pieces or in damage, you will, and I say this with due seriousness, you will face repurcussions." 

They gulped. Their hearts raced in hearing this, but they applied for this job, why would they turn it down now?

"Secondly! These lugers are weapons, and just as swords are to be kept in scabbards when not needed, so to are these in your leather holsters." He demonstrated a fast storing and equipping of the luger from the aforementioned holster that was on his belt. "And you are never to point these guns at anyone else! As well won't you put your fingers on the trigger when you are not even in battle! Doing so is as well a doing as attempted manslaughter, and you should know better that doing that, right!?" 

Another time, they had screamed; "Yes, sir!" 

"Good. Good." He walked back a little bit. "The people you see before me are your superiors, address them with respect! If you have a question, you may come to them for help or else would they come to you." He cleared his throat. "Now, we are to start by the using of these lugers!"

The squad leaders had taken the gaze of the recruits, signalling them to come closer and form columns of five. Then, seeing that the line would get longer, they then added eight more columns making so that there were eighteen columns having ten recruits each. It was quite difficult to set them up right, but after some time, they managed to neatly align themselves up. The line had gotten smaller but the rows had gotten longer.

Naturvege then walked to them. Eyeing them with slit eyes. He walked then stopped when he hit the front of the middle column. He, observing the line's length of recruits. "This gun, the luger is something that carries heft at every shot. It'd be like someone punches your palm as soon as you pull the trigger. You must train your muscles to overcome the recoil that you will feel, it is not that much in comparison to the kar98k or the light machine you hear from the soldiers that is the FG42. However, if not controlled, even the luger could devastate it's user." 

He frowned. "So, we'll be working today to perfect your shooting the luger. And tommorow, we introduce the sabres tommorow." His frown disappeared and up came a smile. "Now, starting from the very front working all the way down to the bottom, the front will begin shooting at the targets set further ahead. Whether you shoot and hit or shoot and miss does not matter. What does is that you recognize the luger's recoil and ingrain ways to... Mitigate that."

The front row of soldiers had taken some two steps forward so that there was space behind them for the squad leaders to walk and observe the ones firing. After some time, Naturvege gave the signal and the recruits began to unholster their guns from their black-colored holsters. "Now! Take aim! You must center that little piece of iron at the front with the target ways in front of you all. And once you are sure that your bullet will pierce that target. Only then would you pull that trigger."

"Yes, sir!" They yelled after taking aim. 

It took a brief silence before they could say that they are confident in their aligning. And as Naturvege had instructed;

They fired. 

The blast and the sound afterwards had thrown off the soldiers, not in it's recoil, but the sound that came afterward. The recruits at the front had ducked and cowered to the ground, covering their ears with their hands.

The supervisors remained unfazed.

"Up! Up! Up! Get up!" Naturvege shouted at the top of his lungs. "You were scared by such a thing!? Pathetic! So you all are scared of thunder!?" He started pointing fingers. "You? You? You, too!? Get used to the sound, bed-monkies! You'll be hearing it for the rest of your career!"

They had gotten up, the ones who were not as frightened had helped the ones who were. And as the sound disspated in their minds, Naturvege, who were observing them. Walking from to and fro. Commented; "Now. I want everyone to get used to the sound, the clash." He switched his glare from the mass recruits to the first row of shooters. "To shoot, repeatedly at the target!" 

( * )

"Cephilia." She looked at her. "What do you think of the new lord?"

"Hmm..." She looked up at the ceiling, grasping at memories of the past. "I honesty, don't know. He looks handsome, he's... Built. And he's more capable than the previous lord, that I say to be true. Flerida, what'd you think of him when you met him?" She put her tea onto the wooden table.

"He's awesome!" She said enthusiastically. "Not even our previous lord would think-up the ideas he has right now! I mean he's also quite the philantropist too! Giving one gold a month!? That pay is unheard of for a soldier! That must mean that he's rich too!"

Cephilia chuckled. "That might be right, that might be right." 

The first class had just finished. And the sisters were in a makeshift breakroom. A suggestion by Hierd to Adelheid was that the soldiers were to take time off until the teachers have rested their minds to teach again. The sisters had took this time off to drink tea, whilst Adelheid had merely continued reading a book he was reading at the manor's library the morning before. 

Cephilia was quite the young girl, the youngest of the thirteen sisters. It was like a gradual graph, the youngest being nineteen and the oldest being fifty-nine. She had the same golden hair as Hierd and she, unlike the other sisters, was quite the bookworm. And she was eyeing out the book Adelheid was reading. And as she was taking sips of her tea whilst looking at him, it spilled. 

"What're you doing Cephilia!?" Flerida exclaimed whilst grabbing a white towel from her white nun's habit. She began to wipe off the spilt tea off her white habit, the stain was still there, however it was not as opaque as before. "That stain's gonna be a pain to remove! Especially on the white habit!" She sighed. 

"Its fine really, Flerida, you don't need to worry that much, a stain's a stain, and it stays that way." 

"Yes, it stays that way. If! We don't remove it." She stared at her blankly. "What were you even doing to have caused that!?"

"Umm." She blushed. "Nothing of the sort, my eyes just went someplace else."

Before Flerida could say another word in. Adelheid announced himself. "Everyone! I think we are just about ready to continue? We should make move to our rooms, the soldiers may be getting impatient." He said with a smile. 

Cephilia looked at her. "Well, good luck." 

"To you too as well." 

( * )

The third row done, and the recruits were alll quickly adjusting to the sound, that powerful clash that that luger emits. Naturvege observed them with a smile as they were now very much so evolving from their past reaction. Seeing no need to intervene, he went to the squad leaders, whoms't were helping the soldiers who did not understand how to use the luger, use it. 

"Lord Hierd's here?" 

"Ah!" Heduc exclaimed after remembering. "I forgot to say to you this before but he said that he thanks you, Naturvege." 

"I should thank him instead!" He chuckled. "It's an opportunity of a lifetime to be able to do this."

Heduc laughed, "Well, you might as well make use of it." He smiled. 

"By the way." 

"What?" Heduc replied.

"Where's Hierd right now?" 

"I don't really know, but all I've heard is that he's introducing a new weapon."

"A new weapon!?" The exclamation had drawn in the attention of the recruits. Seeing this, Naturvege looked at them, reverting from his cheerful attitude to a frown. "What're you all looking at! Focus on the target!" 

"Y-yes, sir!" 

He stared back at Heduc and his expression reverted to the cheerful one. "A new weapon? Did'e say what it was?"

"No, sadly."

"Damn." He sounded quite disapointed. 

"But if you wanna know where he is right now, I gather that he's at his cabin. He might be accompanied by his squad, if not, they should be somewhere observing the training." He stopped for a second. "Well... If you want to look for him that is."

"To that I will! I've nothing to do here for now, you lot may take care of the affairs, if anything goes wrong, I expect for it all to be taken cared of." He tapped Heduc's shoulder before smiling then walking away.

Just a few steps away from the recruits, he saw the outline of five black-suited soldiers sitting idle on a some big boulder in the shades of the treeline. He walked up to them, and as they saw Naturvege nearing, they got off from their rested position and had lined themselves in a straight row. 

"Good afternoon, sir!" They said in unison.

"Be at ease, this is an unformal setting."

"Yes, sir."

"Shouldn't you all be at the school?" He questioned.

"We do not need to go to school, as Hierd had already gave us some mediums of study to read through, sir."

"I-I see." A nervous chuckle. "May I know where Lord Hierd is?"

"He is at the cabin, sir. He is currently doing something regarding the new weapon." 

"Then why are you staying here?"

"The lord has ordered us to be here."

"Can I overide this order?" He took a step closer. "I wish to have maybe even two to accompany me in my walking there."

"I am sure that the lord does not fear of intruders, and so should you sir. But, we should always expect the worst." The middle man, the one who was talking all this time had quite the leader attitude, and his straight and powerful stance evoked this sense of security when Naturvege was talking to him. "Two of our men will accompany you, sir." He kept his stern face.

"Thank you." 

The two men were at the left, and when Naturvege moved, they followed. 

Walking on the road, Naturvege remised the past, remembering the days when the village was lively yet small. And when it wasn't a ghost town like that day was. The villagers had all left and there remains only fragments of living. 

His home stood like a wooden pole at the end of a street, undeturned, unfazed. He passed it and went straight into the backyard. The cabin at the end looked eriely lively as Naturvege stared at it. "Was it like that back then? It looked so barren before..." 

*CRASH

"Lord Hierd!?" Naturvege Exclaimed. 

He ran to the door. Busting it open. 

"Lord Hier-" His expression dropped. "What in the name of the lord is that!?" 

( * )

It was down to the fourth row, and the soldiers were all executing their parts perfectly, they've all gotten used to the sound, and with the guidance of the squad leaders, they performed well, so well in fact that the ones who were coming after were trying their best to 'best' the ones that came before.

"After this is the fifth one, we need Naturvege here." Said Heduc.

"You talked to him." Said Verdel. "Where did he go?" 

"To the lord's cabin I suppose."

"Uh... Guys?" Jeane said. "I don't think you need to worry about going to him, he's coming to us."

*HONKx3

The truck was accelerating closer and closer to the recruits. A faint "Woo!" Could be heard from the driver's seat. 

The driving was fanatic and the acceleration was more so. 

Swerve! 

The wheels had kicked back the dirt and the dirt had landed on the recruit's faces. 

The driver door opened and a boot hit the ground.

The squad leaders approached the truck with awestruck faces. "Goodness! The thing was about to hit us!" 

"Sorry about that." Hierd introduced himself. "It was the first time in a long time to drive one."

Heduc chuckled. 

"The weapon is quite heavy, so I needed a lift to carry it here. That lift being this truck."

"It's heavy?"

"Yes." Hierd made his way to the back, gesturing Heduc and the squad leaders to follow. "It's quite the beauty too."

Before the turn, Hierd said; "My men, I introduce; 'The Vickers Machine Gun.'" 

Illuminated only by the light of the outside, the glory of the gun's design was not so seen, but as it was pushed out by Naturvege and the two other soldiers, the cylindrical barrel and the 'appendages' of the bottom had certainly intrigued the squad leaders. 

Seeing it, Verdel and Gelmund's eyes were glistening in wonder as to how it works, why it works, and it's DEADLINESS. 

"It's... Big." Commented Heduc. "And heavy. It functions like a cannon, I assume?"

"You can say that. But, this one is water-cooled."

"Water cooled?" Questioned Jeane. "There's water inside it, lord?"

"Inside the barrel." Looking at them, Hierd was confused why they were confused about a water-cooled barrel. 

"What's the need to cool a barrel?" Questioned Verdel. 

"Oh? I guess they haven't really encountered heat issues before since they use the bolt-action Kar98k and the luger." Hierd thought. Remebering from some science class.

"Heat is something that becomes detrimental when it is exerted overtime on metal, or any solid really. Like... Metal." He touched the barrel of the HMG "Bullets coming out of the barrel cause it to heat up, alot, and because of the amount of bullets getting put in and ultimately going out, the barrel will... Uh, corrode. Faster. Because of friction and..."

"What's friction, lord?" Questioned Heduc. "I have yet to hear of such a thing."

"Ah, it is too difficult to explain, even I don't get it, but heat is equal to bad. That's a simpler ultimatium, do you understand?"

"Yes, lord."

"Will you help us bring the gun down onto the ground over the front?" He sighed. 

"Yes, lord." As they said it, they headed inside. 

"Careful, it's very heavy." Commented Naturvege. "Trust me." He looked at Heduc while saying it.

"Don't worry, Naturvege, I think I can lift this." He chuckled confidently." He placed his hand on the barrel. 

Lifting it.

*Crack!

"Ow! That's heavy!" Cried Heduc. He stepped away. "I felt my spine crack!" His smile faded and he was groaning in pain. 

"That's why I said it was heavy, took us a long time just to get this on the truck." Naturvege laughed. "You all, come and hold each portion of the gun, and in the count of three, we lift it outside."

"Yes, sir!" 

-3-

-2-

-1-

"Hup!" Their faces had frowned in the insane weight of the gun.

Carrying it outside, they looked like ripe tomatoes ready to be picked! Hierd wanted to laugh but it seemed unlord-like so he kept it in. The put it down at the back of the truck. 

They panted like dogs. "Goodness!" Screamed Jeane. "That's too heavy for me, lord, I'll have to say myself out!" She stepped away, hunched back. The other ones who were lifting the gun had done the same. Panting and exhausted. 

"I need a breather." Said Naturvege. 

Understanding Jeane's comment, he looked to the recruits whoms't where staring at the gun with peak-intrigue. Looking at hte intricasies as if it were some alien gadget. Which to them, was indeed an alien gadget. 

"I need five recruits to help!" He yelled. 

After some seconds, some hesitant volunteers came to the rescue and went to the gun. Naturvege, who was getting a breather came back to th HMG. "Okay, same thing. We pick it up after the count of three then we hurry over to the front. Okay!?" He yelled. 

"Yes, sir!" 

-3-

-2- 

-1- 

"Gah!" The volunteers were shuddering under the intense weight of the iron behemoth and the soldiers more so.

"Almost! Almost there!" Grunted Verdel, who's blood he could feel the heat of and his nausea he could feel. 

"Hup!" 

*Bplak!" 

Verdel had collapsed onto the grass in exhaustion. "Do-don't wor-ry abo-ut me!" He cried. "I- jus-t need some- rest."

Hierd came running to Verdel, he put his knees down onto the ground, lowering himself to his level. "My soldiers will take you to my cabin, you should rest there." 

"Th-hank you- captain." 

"Yes, Verdel." He seemed confused as-to-why he was called captain, but from the activity they had done, it seemed fitting.

Hierd then looked at his two squad members who had sat down panting. "Can you carry Verdel to my cabin? You may lay him down onto my bed."

"Y-yes, lord. W-we can."

"Don't stress yourselves, call on your mates to help."

They got up, with exerted exhaustion and a powerless face. They starteed to march forward to the tree line where they were stationed before. 

Hierd stood up and faced the crowd of spectators. "As you can see!" He shouted. "This is a new gun! Unlike the guns you have seen prior, this one fires a hail of lightning towards their enemy."

They gulped hearing that. 

"And yes! It's pretty loud." He jokingly put. "So please cover your ears when I start firing!"

"Yes, lord!"

He went back to the truck and retrieved a box of ammunition. For the Vickers Machine Gun was belt-fed, it was the first time any of them (the squad leaders) had seen a new way of feeding something into a gun and not just a simple box magazine. 

Hierd crouched down. And once he was level with the gun, he pulled off the top section of the gun and after, pulling the belt of rounds from the box of ammunition. He inserted the belt into the feeding mechanism, which is frankly, too hard to describe the action of. Then pushed the top section down, clamping it shut. 

"Now!" He yelled. "You should observe the new weapon that will be protecting us at the monster's siege of Auferstehen!" 

He gestured for the squad leaders to go to the side. Naturvege had set up a perfect spot for him to spectate over the scene. 

They all covered their ears and awaited for impact. 

Hierd pulled the bolt and put his hand onto the trigger.

Pull!

The crackle of thunder! 

The recruits cowered in fear. 

With each round, decimating the target ahead; Obliterated instantly!

Hierd contained his excitement whilst shooting the machine and constituted by smiling. He pulled his finger away from the trigger. "That! My comrades! Is the power of our army!" 

( * ) 

One could see the light of the day closing and the light of the night approaching from Hierd's cabin window. Verdel, whoms't was snoring on Hierd's bed slept calmly. When suddenly, he awoke.

"Gah!" He looked around him. "Where am I? What happened!? Where's the lord!?" 

"Good Evening, sir." It was Hierd's squad. 

"Uhm." He noticed there was drool oozing out of his mouth. He wiped it off with the towel he was given that was in his pouch. "I hope you didn't mind me whilst I slept." He blushed. 

"We hadn't the thought, sir." Their faces said otherwise.