text: “Quite a headstrong people aren’t they?” General Falkyn said to his orderly as the battle raged in the distance. His orderly, Lieutenant Schmidt nodded in agreement “As headstrong as a cornered animal would be Sir”. The Geonese city of Milan had been under siege for two weeks now by the Ticonderogan army, and though its defenders tried their best, they could not stop General Falkyn’s men. Only after leveling it and her inhabitants to dust with artillery did General Falkyn make progress and force the city to plead for peace. However, pockets of resistance fought on creating a very ungentlemanly form of warfare to commence in which General Falkyn wished to see for himself. “Anyways Sir, perhaps it’s best that we make our way back to the headquarters? This area is still ripe with Geonese defenders who still have not surrendered.” Lieutenant Schmidt wisely suggested noticing the distant gunfire behind them. Fallyn however drew a cigarette from his greatcoat and observed the charred ruins around them that at one point in time must have been a quiet neighborhood. “No. I want to take a walk if you don’t mind. An officer cannot accurately command without knowing his environment. Surely command can do without me for an hour”. Schmidt then nodded “As you wish Sir”. The pair of officers then walked down the cobblestone street that was almost buried in the rubble. Nearby a group of Ticonderogan soldiers were happily looting a jewelry store as a Geonese woman and a child with a bruised head walked past them in the street. Schmidt looked blankly at the woman and her child and back to the jewelry store and spoke. “No wonder it took us two damn weeks to take the city. Our men can barely act like proper soldiers when they see something shiny come about!” Falkyn then nodded as he was looking at the men “There’s no harm in letting loose Lieutenant.. But in any case go over there and sort them out if you’d like”. Lieutenant Schmidt then walked off and approached the soldiers as Falkyn waited for half a moment. He glanced at the woman and her child walking past him. The woman held a look of fear for General Falkyn all of his kind of green-coated invaders who made sure she never felt safe again. Her daughter meanwhile held a look of pure anger towards someone who took her happiness away. Falkyn in return only looked at them with indifference until they passed away from his vision. He then noticed a shadow cast over him and saw a Genoese banner riddled with bullet holes blowing in the wind. “What a miracle”. He said to himself. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard coughing coming from a nearby building and went to investigate. When he came upon the opening he stepped inside and spotted a bloodied Geonese soldier half buried under some rubble and reaching for a rifle across from him. Fallkyn walked over and put his foot on the rifle as soon as the Geonese soldier touched it and spoke with coldness in his voice “the war is over for you. Don’t waste your breath”. The Geonese soldier then stared up at Falkyn with eyes full of hatred. “Then be done with it. I’ve lived long enough.” Falkyn only smiled as he rested his hand on the holster of his pistol. “Why waste the bullet? That wound looks fatal.” The Geonese soldier then looked down to see a bit of rebar piercing his stomach and the entire lower half of his uniform was caked in blood and dirt. “You’ve killed so many people as it is. What’s one more to your record general?” He said recognizing his rank. Falkyn then nodded. “what’s your name?” The Geonese soldier began to shake from the blood loss as he spoke “Private first class Lucio Cathero.” Fallkyn then took a cigarette from his greatcoat and stuck it in Cathero’s mouth and lit it in an effort to ease his enemy’s pain. “Well Private Cathero, it seems there’s been enough bloodshed today as it is. What will one more dead Geonese bastard give me that I don’t have already? Honestly why you people dared to resist us is an enigma to me as you’ve already been defeated before we even crossed the border.” Cathero then took the cigarette from his parched lips and blew some smoke. “I have not been defeated Sir. In fact you’ve underestimated us since the very beginning.” Falkyn cocked an eyebrow. “Is that so?” Cathero then put out the cigarette with a trembling hand. “It is exactly so. Your men have charged our positions time and time again. Only to be met with failure and death each and every time”. Fallkyn was not pleased to be reminded about his own failures and drilled his cigarette into the ground. “Seems we didn’t fail this last time then did we?” Cathero sighed “no. But I have not been defeated”. Falkyn’s laughter then echoed from wall to wall. “Your Government has fled. Your armies have been crushed and even your own people welcome us with open arms when we give them rations and medical care. How in God’s name could you call yourself a victor in this scenario?” Cathero then responded weakly as he let his hand hang to his side. “Come closer and I’ll tell you.” Falkyn then cautiously drew his pistol and squatted beside him in curiosity “go on then”. Cathero then whispered. “I consider this a victory.. because I know I won’t die alone.” With his final breath, Cathero then let go of an unpinned grenade as it rolled across the floor and exploded. Killing Falkyn and Cathero in a heartbeat. Across the road, Lieutenant Schmidt and several Ticonderogan soldiers ran to the scene only to find Falkyn’s mangled corpse laying in a pool of his own blood and Schmidt could only look upon him with horror. “Oh my God.. someone get him out of here.” The soldiers then obeyed and picked up his remains and rushed him off. Schmidt meanwhile walked past the jewelry store to see a Geonese banner still standing amongst the wreckage and he shook his head. “A headstrong people indeed Sir”. He then ripped the banner from its pole and walked away.