'Flames.. blood.. smokes.. screams.. tears... smile..'
'Smile..?'
'Who's smiling in a battlefield..?'
The whole battle is replaying in Theo's mind like some sort of recording. It's a nightmare to recall everything that had happened. He's sweating a lot as he remembers it all.
...
He eventually managed to open his eyes and wake up from the disastrous nightmare that had been haunting him the whole time. His eyes widen as they narrow back when he realizes that he is currently in a med tent from the Northern Military.
He noticed the light from a candle beside him and tried to take a glance, but then he saw the general of the North. General Robert, with a neat, slick black hair, and green eyes. Theo immediately recognizes that guy from his features.
He sits up with a fierce face as if he's wary of the general.
General Robert chuckles at Theo's movement. Theo wonders what's funny about this situation.
"Private Theo Smith, correct? Worry not. I have personally requested the medical team not to enter this tent except for a friend of mine who's currently your doctor."
He expresses a small smile on his face. Theo is still being cautious, based on his expression.
'My.. what a fierce guy. Reminds me of someone.' The general smiles again.
"You are... General Robert from the Northern Regiment." Theo speaks in a fierce manner, though he's slowly loosening up. The general was the one commanding Unit 109 to go on a rescue mission in Area 63. Their mission was to find the remaining survivor and come back to the military area.
The informant told them that the area was clean and there were no machines around since the previous group had already cleared the area. Unit 109 was just following orders, and they walked into their deathbed without any warning.
Theo knows that the mission was a trap from the higher-ups from the moment those machines appeared. He won't follow the general blindly anymore. Who knows what might happen? The general might try to trap him to his death next.
General Robert already knows what Theo is thinking about. Of course, it won't be easy to believe the one who was in command, the one who led the whole unit to death. Though he needs Theo to trust him.
"Private Theo Smith. I know that it will be hard to trust me after what happened to Unit 109, since I was the one who commanded them, but I do need you to stay low for now. If you wish to take revenge on me, then do it after you successfully leave the Northern Area." The general smirks slightly.
Theo's eyes narrow as he seems to be angrier than before. He really wants to cut the general's throat with a knife right there, at the moment, but he suppressed his thoughts to not create even more ruckus.
"Why do you think I would want to take revenge on you?" Theo wants to know why the general thought so first; maybe it's because of his fierce tone. But is the general really willing to die like that? No one knows.
"Well, who wouldn't think so? With that fierce face of yours." He smiles again. It's making Theo uncomfortable. Does finding that out automatically make him happy or something? He seems like someone who longed to die anyway.
"That aside. Private Theo, I'll tell you everything about what has been going on outside for as long as you were unconscious, but you need to take my deal first." Theo's eyes narrow upon hearing that. He still doesn't want to have anything to do with the general.
"I'll protect you, and I will grant you everything you want." The general speaks about Theo's benefits first. Theo does actually need protection since this is the Northern Area, where everything differs from the Southern Area, but he got the feeling that the general will benefit more than him in this deal.
"In exchange, you will follow my command for as long as you're in the Northern Area." The general speaks in a serious tone.
Theo knows something was wrong, and this is it.