Flickers of light, followed by a thunderous explosion that echoed through the streets, continued throughout the night. In less than a single day, the Imperial Army was pushed back from the outskirts of the Fortress City and into a few fortified streets within the city, whilst the castle was being used to host the wounded. As with the laws of war, anyone with the cross that is colored red, and a building stained with the red cross, cannot be attacked as it is protected by international law. It is no less to say that they are now making a final stand.
Within the confines of the fortified streets, a lone man filled with wounds and dirt was commanding the situation.
"Major! We're losing ground on the northern barricade, and it seemed the enemy planes are going to drop another round of men in the skies!" An officer exclaimed.
"Major! Someone razed our stored food supplies and poisoned our water supplies! We could no longer last in a few days, let alone a few hours, without something to feed the army and the remaining civilians! We also have unconfirmed reports that there are saboteurs from the populace!" Another officer exclaimed.
"Major! We have lost another district with the soldiers mutinying and surrendered towards the enemy!" The officer exclaimed.
"What!" "Cowards" "This Can't Be!" were the reactions of the officers.
With accumulating problems, and the mental overload Quagmire or the Major was taking, he was momentarily stunned as if he was in the trance. The surrounding officer, were left with their eyes wide opened as the reality of things dawned upon them.
There was no hope.
However, another officer came that broke Quagmire off the trance he was in.
"Major, we have received reports from a messenger pigeon that Army Group B will attempt to break us out of the encirclement that we are on. The Commander's order was to hold out for as long as we can until the army arrives to break us out!." the officer with a hopeful expression exclaimed.
Upon hearing the contents of the message, the officers around Quagmire was filled with hope and courage to fight again, and seeing the expressions of his officers, Quagmire begun giving out his orders.
"Good! Here are my orders, with the food and water supplies that we have left in our pockets, canteens, confiscate all of it, and ration it to the very bare minimum. Furthermore, to stave off starvation, start rationing cigars. Even if one cigar has to be used by multiple men or women, force it. We need to stay alive for as long as possible."
"Reinforce the northern barricade with additional soldiers from my personal unit, and grab a few abled bodied men to start construction of more barricades, even if we have to dismantle houses. I want you to do it. Moreover, with the threat of men in the skies, prepare to shoot ducks in the sky, and remember to conserve ammunition, only shoot when near!"
"As for the district we have lost, order those who stayed to retreat to the second barricade, it should be enough to stave off the enemy for a whil-" As Quagmire was giving orders a loud whizzing sound came from a far.
As he would have already heard of this sound, due to the multiple run it did earlier, he ordered the men to get ready and shoot some ducks.
However, in a twist of fate, when the door opened from the plane, it did not open in the side, instead it opened in the bottom. Numerous, black, round shaped objects came out. Quagmire and the officers was initially baffled. However, due to unknown instinct, horror came imto the heart of Quagmire.
"No…."
The objects are descending at a rapid pace.
"No."
The objects were nearing the ground
"No!"
Upon looking down, he saw the target of the objects.
"No!!!"
It was none other than the castle, the place where they housed the weak, disabled, and old.
A thunderous explosion resounded throughout the battlefield. The Imperial Soldiers have their mouth agape as the foundations of the castle begun to crumble and eventually fall piece by piece, crushing those under its roof alive.
Quagmire, unable to contain his emotion. Fell to his knees on the ground, and shouted.
"No!!!!"
The other soldiers saw this, and honestly Quagmire's reaction represented what they all felt at that time.
'How can one nation be so barbaric, as to target the weak and unable to fight in times of war? They are even signatories of all treaties. Just how can they do such things?' Were the thoughts moving in his mind.
Just as everything was transpiring, an officer was running towards Quagmire.
"Major!" the officer exclaimed
Quagmire glanced at the officer with blank eyes, with tears evidently falling down. The officer was taken aback, but continued on with his reports, albeit without hope remaining in his heart.
"Major, multiple units from around the districts has mutinied and surrendered. As of now, the enemy is rapidly advancing towards our position." The Officer exclaimed.
Upon hearing the report, Quagmire stared at the ground and there he realized, that there are no more hope, even if the army arrives it will be too late. So he made the decision. With the officers gathered around him, he spoke.
"All of you, those who want to surrender, you are now free to do so. Those who want to stay with me and protect our duty and honour towards the Imperial Republic you are also free to do so."
The officers looked down and thought for a while, and most of them took out their service pistol and gave it to Quagmire.
"I aplogize Major, it is been an honour to serve with you. However, I have a family waiting for me back home." An officer exclaimed.
"I respect your decisions," Quagmire replied to all those who gave back their service pistols.
After a while, they have now started preparing, however this time, with fire in their hearts. They have now steeled themselves to fight to the death. Although some of their brothers abandoned them, they cannot really blame them for doing so, and Major Quagmire even respected their decisions.
They were now laying down, waiting to ambush the enemy. However, no enemy came forward. This was fortunate, as they have now experienced some respite to regroup and plan their defenses. Unfortunately a thunderous explosion came just outside of the Fortress City.
"This can't be!" "Fuck!" were some of the expressions the soldiers had
A shining light ascended the sky and made an arc, to which it eventually descended. With fear in the eyes of the defenders, they hurriedly took cover.
Destruction prevailed, houses were destroyed, barricades were blown. After the explosions, the enemy units started pouring in.
"Shoot!" Quagmire ordered the remaining soldiers. Unfortunately, they were all immediately shot and killed. He unloaded all the bullets in a frenzy, but unfortunately he wasn't able to hit anything.
An officer walked towards Quagmire, with Quagmire still pressing the trigger, not knowing its been long empty.
"We will be offering for you to surrender right now, since you are a high-ranking member of the Military. Unlike those whop surrendered we shot earlier, you are more useful to us. What do you say?" The enemy officer exclaimed.
Upon hearing the statement, anger welled up inside Quagmire.
"What? You dumb barbarians have no integrity and honour at all! Fuck y-" Was the time before Quagmire was cut off, as the enemy officer shot him in the head.
"Honour, and Integrity? All is fair in love and war!" The enemy officer exclaimed.