With a burst of flame and a single yet loud noise from the pistol, Kazuto opened his eyes, shaking as small red veins scattered in the corner of his eyes.
He could feel his heart beating at the same speed of a bullet, his body damping in sweat from the heat, and his breathing heavy, panting as he tried to catch oxygen.
With the sudden shock of the loud noise, Kazuto could think of nothing other than to jump out of bed as he panicked, hitting his skull to the ceiling of the bunk bed in the process.
A thud of struggle and embarrassment can be heard in the room, shaking the bunk bed not even an inch as Kazuto returned back to the pillow and mattress with a headache.
"Good morning. You all right?" Otto smiled, gazing at him.
He was sitting on the chair near the exit of the room, with his right handwriting something on the quill placed on the table. There was also a candle on the corner of the table, as Otto didn't seem to bother opening the lights as he didn't want to bother the others.
"Never been better," Kazuto replied, grunting. Holding his forehead with both his hands, moving from left to right as the pain won't stop throbbing.
Soon the pain went away, however not completely. His forehead was still throbbing in pain with a red mark left behind reminding him not to panic too much. but at least It was no longer too painful than before.
Kazuto sat on the bed as he looked around him. It would have been considered nearly pitch black if it weren't for the candle in the table, seeing as the other soldiers were still sleeping heavily.
Some snored loud while others didn't even bother to snore at all.
Gunther being one of the loudest in terms of snoring, compared to them all.
"I'm amazed that you woke up early. Did you have a nightmare of a dream... or perhaps a good one?" Otto asked, as he looked back to the table and continued writing.
Kazuto looked at him with a hesitant feeling stuck inside his chest, beating as his heart says, 'no!'. However, Kazuto wanted to talk about it, but not in full detail.
His memory of that vision was already too hazy, and he couldn't remember much anymore other than what he felt.
"I guess you could say that it's mediocre of a dream. Nothing too special happened. Nothing too good, nothing too bad. It was just me standing in the streets filled with rain," Kazuto answered.
Otto chuckled a little bit, looking back at Kazuto.
"Guess the cold of the weather got inside your head too much so much so that you're dreaming about it." Otto chuckled again, pointing his pen to the corner of the room.
Kazuto stared towards it, as a leak of rainwater seemed to have been falling down there for quite a while.
As each drop, Kazuto was reminded with a noise, a familiar one. He could picture it, a tall clock standing on the other side of the road away from him; ticking.
"By the way, How long have you've been wide awake?" Kazuto asked, gazing back towards Otto with a curious expression.
"Me? I've been awake for the past hour now if I'm correct," Otto answered, tapping the butt of his pen to the table. He soon closed his quill and looking back at Kazuto. "Why so?"
"I'm just wondering what time is it?" Kazuto asked, with his eyes wandering towards Hanz sleeping.
"Time now? three o'clock just passed by." Otto answered.
Kazuto remembered it all. The clock, the rain, the buildings, the people, the faces, and the red gun. All at once entered into his mind as he felt nauseous.
His body started feeling shaken, as if, at any moment, he would collapse.
"Hey, are you really all right?" Otto asked, standing up from his chair in a hurry.
he put the quill he was holding back to the bag that was beneath the table and walked forward towards Kazuto. However, before he could even reach him, a loud artillery piece had been fired above.
The room shook slightly, with the dust particles above falling down. The soldiers who were still sleeping all woke up at once, as they all looked ready and wide awake.
Not a hint of tiresome can even be noticed like they were all ready prepared to be wakened in a much more early time than the one promised.
"Ahh! What time is it?" One of the soldiers asked.
"It's far from five in the morning that's for sure," The other soldier replied
"So much for a goodnight sleep," Hanz mutter in complain, rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes as it felt like his pupils were stung by a bee.
Soon other soldiers started to complain as well. However, not for long, as so they don't have the time to complain at all in the very beginning.
"All of you! shut the hell up!! There's no point arguing and complaining!!" Gunther yelled, rubbing his eyes as well. "We just have to deal with it!" He continued in a monotonous tone.
The soldiers all gaze at him with different auras, some annoyed while others contemplated. However, all nodded and agreed, but that doesn't matter anymore as the silence was almost nonexistent.
Multiple artillery shells were then fired, as the shaking of the ground continued further even rivaling an earthquake, with more and more soldiers started preparing around the tunnels.
"Hurry!! Hurry!! We don't have time to waste anymore!! You!! The General will punish if you kept slacking like that!!" One of the soldiers yelled.
Noises in the hallway of the tunnels can be heard, as footsteps of ten or twenty men were running, rifles on hand, and fierce yet horrified looks can be seen lingering on their faces.
Kazuto rubbed his eyes, and later slapped his face with both his hands, trying to focus his consciousness. "What's going on?" Kazuto asked one of them, fatigued.
"Our guards just saw a red flare above the city of Mettis! The Generals are afraid that enemy reinforcements might come early! They need us to execute the plan now!!" One of the soldier's answers and later he continued running with the rest.
'So that's why he pulled the trigger? to call for reinforcements' Kazuto thought to himself, with his mouth slightly open.
"A red flare, huh?" Otto muttered, rubbing his chin as he looked down.
"So much for a meet-up at five o'clock. Come on! A battle can't be won if there are no men to fight!" Gunther said.
He soon dropped down to the floor and grabbed his rifle leaning on the side of the wall, checking if there are any bullets loaded or if there were any bullets at all.
The other soldiers nodded and did the same, checking if their guns are not jammed and if their ammunition is enough.
After doing so, the men started walking out, all prepared. While others head to the ammunition rooms, as their cartridge belts aren't enough to supply them.
"Here," Otto said, giving out a small smile, raising the rifle in the level of his head.
"Thanks," Kazuto replied.
He grabbed the rifle from Otto's hands and walked together with the rest. following Hanz and Gunther who were in front of him, as the two seemed to be talking about something that he is least interested in.
Otto was left in the room alone closing his bag that was hidden beneath the table, as he gazes at them watching as they were no longer in his sights.
'So this is it. The day finally came where I have to meet that person that has been waiting for me,' Kazuto thought, staring forward with a solemn expression.
He remembers the dream - a vague picture. The man wearing in blue in front of him, looking like he was full of confidence and pride, with a smile that looked humane than any other, smoking a near perfect circle.
"Change of plans. General Bonnet wants us to protect him, basically his guards" The man said.
He remembered the words.
'That must be him, that General. I have to reach the city before his spell is finished and escape. But where would I even find him,' Kazuto pondered.
He soon remembered the scenery, more clearer than the face of the man he talked to. Each road and each building in place. Materials built those structures from top to bottom, with the drops of rain still sizzling.
'The two-floored building made mostly of cement and bricks, and on the other side of the street is a small bar. Those are two buildings that I have to keep in mind to remember his location,' Kazuto thought, closing his eyes.
'Once I'll meet that guy I'll ask questions. And maybe... just maybe. He'll tell me how to escape this world far yonder than a fantasy I've expected, and return me back home with my body and soul,' Kazuto wished, opening his eyes as he could see the light of the exit only a meter away.
The ten men who were once sleeping in the best they've ever had for who knows how long will once again serve the country. While one man - he who considered himself to be - fought not by patriotism, but rather for the wish of freedom - or so, according to him.