May 23rd, evening.
Konstantin Regner, Major of the gendarmerie, furrowed his brows as he watched the horizon stained blood-red by the setting sun, while several youngsters around him chattered incessantly about the crimson sky, annoying the Major to the extent that he had to put down his monocular and give each of them a slap. Once the kids quieted down, the Major again fixed his gaze on the eerily beautiful scene that sent shivers down his spine.
Major Regner was a seasoned field gendarmerie officer who seldom left the front lines, having served in supervisory combat teams, and was deployed in emergencies. Unlike his colleagues, who were accustomed to the rear's stability, the Major, in his forties, resembled a traditional soldier more. His rich experience made him uneasy about the quiet before him.
Quiet.
Profound silence.
