With a nervous military salute, I nodded in gratitude and stored away the sword and armor they had bestowed upon me. As I made this gesture, I couldn't help but notice how the soldiers' once impeccable, shining armor was now stained with blood and dirt.
My hands trembled slightly; the harsh reality hit me hard. Even these brave soldiers were falling on this infernal battlefield. My mind was instantly filled with a flood of despairing thoughts, and my heart seemed to sink deeper into an abyss of desolation.
Bang!
A punch landed on my cheek, jolting me back to reality. Although my hands still trembled, I carefully began to remove the fallen soldier's armor.
"I'm sorry... really, I'm sorry," I murmured with a choked voice, feeling my eyes moisten slightly. Behind that imposing armor lay a young man of barely 25 years old. His eyes were open but vacant, devoid of any spark of life. There was only death in them.
