The soldiers marched their way back to the base in the urban fringe. Along the desolate asphalt road, empty buildings surrounded their vision.
Dmitri set his eyes straight ahead, leading the formation in tow.
Through the endless stretching roads, they came upon a new area with repurposed structures.
Granary.
Warehouse.
Small farmlands and greenhouses.
Housing for the civilians and the soldiers.
The sight varied left to right.
One of the residents noticed their approach, pausing his hands mid-air. He let down his hoe and waved to the soldiers.
"Oi, welcome back!"
His shout drove everyone's attention.
The residents crowded over, extending their hands to greet their heroes. The soldiers snapped their heads, waving back in response.
The grandiose ceremony lasted until the last soldiers vanished from the residents' sights. Still, the valiant aura lingered in their hearts and minds.
