The previous day they walked almost 18 kilometers in deep snow. No breaks and hard motivation had them going like no other.
This day they would have to do the same, and if lucky they would be able to cross the 30 kilometer mark. Only if they were lucky. This was because of one reason, battle, it would definitely happen and it would definitely be hard. Maybe it would last an hour, maybe multiple days but it was a definite wall they had to cross.
Where the two armies would meet they didn't know. But the Luksano would be no farther from their base than at 10 kilometers. Why? Because the Luksano soldiers didn't have any haste or urgency in the matter.
The federation was pressed for time, it was known that within one week the Luksano would have back up coming. And once their allies were here taking the base would become pretty impossible.
Another reason was that if they were going to battle, the federation would inevitably be more exhausted. These were the thoughts that swirled through Bowin's mind. But how can we minimalize our disadvantages. He had been thinking about that all day, it would make Sench's live and that of all his allies a lot easier if he managed to solve.
The current plan was to just face them head on, if Quitney would also had 3000 soldier, on paper it would be a equal battle. But it wasn't, it was more likely that the federation would loose the battle.
Then it came to Bowin, a solution that would give the Federation the advantage.
"Balls, I can't see a lot in this snow, but I know something is on your mind." Rollo held his rifle tightly as he caught up to Bowin. Vander came to walk up to the other side, his face that similar fearful Bowin got used to, "Yeah, your expression scares me."
"N-nothing guys, I was thinking." It was then when Bowin realized how scrunched up his face was while thinking, another weird habit this body had.
"Oh god!" Vander looked at the distance as if it held his death, "Your thinking about the future battle right!? How we're going to die!?" He held himself tightly.
"Could be," Rollo added, his expression casual, as if it's the most normal thing, "On the field there always a chance of death."
Vander shriecked, shiverering extra hard.
"Guys guys," it was Jace from the back, his voice cool and collected, "Nobody of us is going to die, not one of us. I'm going to make sure of it."
Bowin eyed Jace, his eyes held a determination, a hatred, but at the moment Bowin was to distracted to notice. "Thanks, I just have something to discuss with the SSL"
He stepped forward, Sani was at the front of the group leading them forward. She didn't seem to be affected by the snow at all, instead having a kalm mind as she strode forward.
Bowin had to step a bit faster to catch on to her. "What?" She noticed him coming before he could even say anything. "I-" he started, he looked away to not meet her gaze "I think I have something that can help us in the oncoming battle." Bowin walked shoulder to shoulder with her now.
Sani's expression was serious, a few days ago she was playful with Sench. As if they were flirting even.
Bowin on the other hand seemed almost like a nuisance, it was a feeling he had known back in the day when he was in high school. That and the fact that he was kind of attracted to her made it difficult to come to his words.
"Oh," she looked at down at him, even when she was shorter than him, "You have a idea." She looked forward again, "I doubt it, leave it all to Sench he know's what he's doing. You go back to your squad."
"Come on give the kid a chance!" Bowin jumped at the sudden voice, it was Seal that stood at the other side of Sani. He still had his wide grin, "Aren't you a bit curious to what he's thinking?"
Sani looked back at Bowin, her eyes low in dismissal. Bowin still couldn't make eye contact with her, instead he looked at the thick snow he was stepping in. He felt conflicted, even when he felt this ashamed he was still dazzled by her beauty.
I can't believe I think about that, even now
"This random." He heard it from the right side of his ear, Sani said that, "I get it, he got to take Howls spot after only one battle. Now he thinks that he is a hero."
That irked Bowin, he got the same remarks when his father made him a manager, how it was unearned, how he was spoiled.
They didn't know that he didn't ask for all that, but he was there and his father expected him to play his role. So he would. Sench wants me to prove myself worthy, so I will. it wasn't determination exactly, He just did what Sench and Howl expected of him.
"I just think I can help out that's all." He watched his feet taking one deep step in the snow after another.
"Let him try at least," Seal said. Sani sighed, the cold air forming a mini cloud around her head that dispersed moments later, "okay, let me hear it."
Then Bowin began to explain their current circumstances, how if they would face the Luksano soldiers that they would lose the battle as they would be exhausted. "We would win." Sani interrupted, she said it in a matter of fact way, like it was a law of nature.
"Sench is a smart man, he would definitely lead us to victory." She had a bland expression. Bowin a bit startled by the sudden interruption clapped back, "But we would take a large number of casualties right?"
"Maybe we would, maybe we wouldn't, we can trust in Sench to make the right decisions. "
Bowin didn't know how to respond to that, lost, he said nothing. Seal laughed in the background, "Sani, just let him speak."
After a moment of being lost in what to say Bowin continued from were he was. He explained that if a part of their army hid away from the sight of the Luksano that they would overcommit on their attack. Leaving them open from a assault from the hidden Federation troopers, "A Invisible assault."
It was a joke at the end but it fell flat. Seal looked at the sky, hand on his chin, eyes squinted to protect from the snowflakes. He nodded, "Yeah, yeah, that's a pretty smart plan. We can also use the rocks all around us to hide. I don't see a problem with it." He put a thumbs up.
Sani had an expression Bowin couldn't read, he didn't want to be able to either, "I'll notify Sench, See what he thinks. You go back to your squad." She put her wrist up to her mouth and started calling the Section captain.
Bowin started slowing down, Dozens of soldiers walked past him until he heard Rollo, "That was a long talk."
"Yeah, but I don't know if I helped."
Hours past, the walking never stopped and even though every single person there wanted it to, they knew they wouldn't. Pushing, against the hard wind that stung past the thick clothing.
Then the army stopped, slowly. Vander fell on his ass, sitting down exhausted. The other boys didn't do that, they stood.
Waiting. Seeing what the future held. Even though they were happy with the slight pause it was still odd, they were smart to know that a break would come so easily.
"What do you think happened?" Jace came to stand next to Bowin, his ruffle on his back, his hands folded.
"I don't know, maybe a obstacle?" Bowin guessed it, he didn't know. Minutes passed. Somebody came to them, facing Bowin specifically,"Bowin the Section captains call you, come with me." He signalled for Bowin to come along. Bowin followed.
Walking past a myriad of soldiers conversing with eachother, some sitting, some goofing of. Eventually they ahead of everyone.
8 men and 1 girl stood in a half circle at if they were in deep discussion, one of them was Sench,Sani stood next to him with her hands tied behind her back.
When they saw Bowin coming they all greeted him with a nod, Sench smirked a bit.
"I heard about your plan." It was a sliver of silence after that, Bowin felt like he needed to fill it.
"Yeah, if we can take the Captain Quitney by surprise, I think we can prevent defeat at worst. A great casualty at best."
Bowin went in some technical details that could give them the best advantage.
3 of these men were the other section captains Sench led these 1000 men with. The other 4 he didn't know. What he did know was that it was very intimidating to have them all stare at him while he explained his logic.
Some of them nodded, other ms looked at him with a dead stare, one of them didn't even pay attention, instead looking of at the distance.
Bowin stopped talking, that was all he had to say. Sench looked at Sani, then at the other section Captains. "Yeah I think this strategy is a winning one." One said.
Sench then signaled for the other none-section captains to walk forward.
"These are the scouts we sent out spy on the Luksano last night. See what their planning." Sench rubbed his chin with his fingers, "Turns out it won't even be captain Quitney that we'll face today but some guy named Lieutenant Halta. We've found out he is a hasty guy that makes rash decisions."
Sench removed his hand from his chin and put them both on his hips, "He'll definitely fall for this. We like the strategy." He bopped his head to the sky, "So does the captain in the sky and other section captains too."
Bowin's face became red, this much attention when he just wanted help out his superiors. Do what he was told to do, it didn't feel like it was his moment, "Thanks, I just do what you asked of me."
Sench smiled slightly, "Yeah, I thought you would say something like that." Bowin didn't know what he had to make of that comment.
"The plan for today," Sench started, "Both the wings of this assault will send of 450 of their men to hide away until Halta makes a foolish mistake."
Sench continued to explain that the 2 section captains would come with them to lead the attack with them.
Bowin was sent to his squad again, and the information was this slowly passed through the ranks.
When Bowin arrived at his squad there was one person there he didn't expect to see. Stanley.
The boy looked angry, his eyebrows almost fighting eachother. When he saw Bowin his expression calmed only a bit as he walked towards him.
"Stanley, what are yo-"
"Why did the section captains call you to them." Stanley didn't waste any time, his tone was agressive. He came awfully deep in Bowin's space, both of them standing face to face.
Bowin stuttered out some non existent words as he backed up from Stanley, finally he got the handle to say something again, "I had a plan, Sani passed it along for me."
"A plan!?" He spat that out, Stanley'a glasses were misty, every breath the boy took resulted in slight dimming of his glasses.
"Yeah," Bowin said, he held his hands in front of him, instinctually trying to slow down the situation, "They are implementing it throughout the whole army, you'll hear about it soon enough."
Stanley stayed quiet, his eyes lowered, "Well who would've thought. Bowin getting the attention of the big guys. How you feeling, proud?"
Bowin took a moment to asses the question, "relieved."
"Heh," Stanley chuckled, "still a robot I see. But if a strategy is good, it's good."
"Are you done with your bullshit!" Jace came from the background, "If so you can leave." Stanley looked at Jace for a bit, then his gaze slowly panned to Bowin, "If only you had his bravery. But the way things are now, you'll lead them to their death."
"What! What does he mean by that?" Vander shrieked, his eyes wide open like a terrified deer.
"You'll now soon enough, Balls doesn't have any Balls you see." Stanley walked back to his group, "everyone will see that you are not even real."
That hit Bowin, not real. He didn't know why but he felt like he was living his old life all over again, serving the needs of other people without considering his own ambitions.
"Don't mind him Balls." Rollo came in, his hands behind head, very relaxed, "Stanley is just mad that you got the attention of the superiors instead of him."
"Don't mind, don't mind! He just told us that Bowin is going to lead us to our death" Vanders head was swinging, panicked.
"That could be true, but that doesn't mean he isn't salty." Rollo added, to which Vander became more panicked than before. Swinging his hands in the air like a monkey.
"why does everyone call you balls?" Jace said confused.