Rosenheim Plains
"Kill them!!!"
Still a little bit dizzy, Alab heard screams but was not sure what was happening in his surroundings. Near him were men with armor and swords clashing. A bit farther at the back were men on horses. He then realized that he was in a battlefield.
The smell of blood was very thick in the air.
"Bweek! "
Alab vomited and was very dizzy.
Although a doctor, this was his first time to encounter something like this. He could not breathe well.
"Bad luck! This is a battlefield! Was this what they meant by an exciting life?!"
"Respa mitsu algare!"
Alab heard words he did not understand which made him realized that people in this place spoke a different language. His heart was pounding and realized he had to do something quick.
Good thing he was on the side of the battlefield. He found a certain dug area and ran over there.
"Bweek!!"
Another episode of vomiting.
He found lumps of corpse with the same uniforms on that dug area. Thinking fast, he knew he had to do one thing; he had to blend in and decided to change his uniform.
In that area where he hid, he pulled the guy on the lowest from the lumps of corpse as to not create any movement. The corpse he got was still holding a pole with a flag on it.
'Still holding on it until the last minute'
The corpse was wearing a leather armor. Alab removed the warrior's bloody leather armor, his pants, as well as the sandals and wore it. When he was set, he brushed off the hair that was covering the face of the soldier whose clothes he borrowed. He wanted to have a look at his face.
Then suddenly, everything turned black. Different images kept flowing in his head. During the transition, he felt his head aching.
"This shit hurts, Argh!"
That was the most painful headache he ever experienced.
His body crumpled in pain as more images were flowed inside his head. Suddenly, he heard a voice.
"Soldier! Bring the flag to the left flank then go back to the hill now!!!"
Alab was surprised he understood the language, but he did not know what flag that person was saying.
He saw a man on horse and shouted,
"Hurry up! The flank is being destroyed!"
Still lost, he slowly tried to regain his composure and found a pole with a flag near the corpses. It was heavy and struggled carrying it. Slowly, he followed the order and ran to the side where he was ordered. While running, he saw arrows flying towards him, one, almost hitting his foot.
'??!!'
Realizing he was targeted, his heartbeat and breathing became faster. He reached the designated area, unfurled the flag and started waving.
'Ugh.... This is really heavy'
He did not know how long he should do it and used all his stamina waving until several troops on horses rushed to that place. In turn, he ran as fast as possible not looking anywhere to a hill he was designated to.
Normally, flag bearers stand on the safe zone, but this army required a solider in every platoon to establish the messages from the headquarters.
On the hill he arrived was a table and several men that looked like high-ranking officers. The commander was observing with several strategists beside him.
'Why was I transferred in the middle of a battlefield?'
From the hill, he was observing the plain and saw men with the same uniform he was wearing being pushed back. He was able to realize something. The uniform he got was from a man whose platoon members' corpse were all over.
'Damn it, did I just join the losing side?'
The plain he was looking was incomprehensible. Men slashing and piercing each other. It was savage to the core. Even from a far, he was moving his head back after seeing the slashing and thrusting of combatants as if blood were spurting on his face.
'So this is what feels being in a war.'
From what he can see, there was no strategy. Only a pure battle head on.
Alab realized that the images he saw were from the person he touched.
Later, a man also in leather uniform asked him.
"From what platoon are you from?"
Trying his best to extract something from the memories of that warrior, he was able to utter some words,
"Di...di...diamond Platoon, sir."
"Your lieutenant?"
As the memories are still not clear, he was not able to come up with the name and simply replied.
"He's gone. I think I am the only one left in our platoon."
"I see... Observe the battle. You will be assigned to another platoon later."
The man left and somehow this was the first time Alab was able to relax. With this opportunity, he tried organizing the memories he obtained. The man's name was Lucas Ternos, a conscripted soldier of the Heartwood Kingdom and a farmer who joined the war for the first time. Back home was his blind mother.
Using Lucas' memories, he understood the situation. The war started because of the Heartwood and Green Rose kingdom's claim for two territories, a gate and a tower.
A gate which once a year, releases different creatures, when killed, gives different products especially crystals which sell incredibly high to mages.
A tower that holds different treasures inside and at the top is said to have a genie that grants the wishes of whoever first arrives in it.
The two kingdoms used to share the gate but when the tower appeared this year just beside the gate, negotiations started to break off. Different rumors started spreading like the Heartwood not giving a proper share of the rewards and another is the Green Rose killing some Heartwood soldiers.
The two kingdoms brushed off the first rumors and tried to fix the cracks, but everything fell to pieces when 15 lieutenants of the Green Rose were killed. It was said that they were poison on the feast after beating a dragon with Heartwood soldiers.
Alab returned his gaze on the battlefield. Ignoring now the savagery, he can see a part of the battlefield where the Heartwood troops were pushing the enemies back. In the middle of it was a young boy on a horse. He was moving with his spear as if a certain space were allotted for him. After striking two enemies, the platoon followed him and charged. Seeing the boy with the skills, he realized that in this world of swords and magic, he needed to learn how to wield a weapon in order to survive.
Night arrived. Although he was told that he will be assigned to a certain platoon at a later time, he did not know the person to approach. Rations were now distributed per platoon. While waiting in line, he could hear men talking about the lone survivor of the Diamond Platoon.
'It seems they don't know my face.'
The Diamond Platoon were composed of conscripted farmers that served as reinforcements for the second day. Therefore, the members were not much known.
Not knowing where to go after getting his food, Alab just sat in a certain corner and was noticed by five men around the bonfire with metal armors beside them.
"Hey, from what platoon are you?" asked the biggest man among the five and which seemed to be the leader of the group.
"From the Diamond..." Alab replied
"So, it was you..."
"If my platoon was annihilated and I am the only one left, I would rather die" said another guy beside the biggest guy who was munching on his food.
"Stop it, Richard," incurred the smaller guy who was sharpening his swords.
The big guy approached him.
"I am Lieutenant Marshal. Normally, you will be absorbed by the Wallflower Company because that is where the Diamond Platoon belongs. But being the lucky guy you are, I'll give you a chance to be in our platoon, son. If you beat Sonny in arm wrestling, I will let you join in our Lion Platoon, it will be a secret though."
Alab agreed just for the sake of trying. He saw a skinny boy in front of him that with one look as if a little gust of wind can blow him away. Sonny had a very innocent smile. After Sonny wiped his face, they placed and readied their hands.
"Will the survivor or our weakest win?"
The match started and Alab's arm instantly fell.
'He's really strong despite his physique. Or maybe, the soldiers are just really that strong here.'
In the world of Gaia, there are several wars. Strength matters and almost everything revolved in it. Alab wondered if it was because of this that people living in Gaia are generally stronger or that Sonny is just innately strong.
"It seems your luck ran out this time, boy."
The talks continued and Alab shared the table with squad.
"But I tell you, for farmers to survive unitil the 3rd day, they're pretty resilient. And, for you, I heard you did a great job which enabled the left flank to be reinforced." Lieutenant Marshal made a toast for them although only water as they are prohibited on alcoholic drinks.
The battle was already on its 3rd day, tomorrow or the day after could be the last day. If it was the last day, then it will be great for Alab. Somehow, he has still to recover from the gruesome battles that just happened.
Alab looked around to find an officer that would put him into the platoon. Arrangements were done and he was placed on the Dragoon Platoon. As he entered the quarters, unlike the Lion Platoon, the morale was very low. Many were injured. As a doctor, he felt that he needed to do something, but he does not have the energy and knowledge to do so.
'Have the Information Points increased? I thought there will be contact from Mozza?'
Alab fell asleep and woke up in Mozza. He can see the usual sofa and table. Merlin hurriedly approached him.
"You only have ten minutes here. There is no time to waste, find the magic that will suit you once you get back."
For the first time, he can see a clock in the room: 9:50 left. Beside it was the Information Points Board: 400. For his first day on Gaia, he wondered that after talking to different soldiers and discovering different things, he was only able to gather 400 IPs. He took the calculator in the library and started computing the years he needed to come back if he did things at the same pace.
'7000 years??!' He dropped the calculator and fell on his back.