(Steampunk Great War like setting for this short tale.)

War times are the saddest moments for the women, the children and the old aged because they have to presence most of the times the final departure of who would become less than a corpse in the worst case scenario... But i think you all know that already... It's always like this. Someone once said "war never changes" and he wasn't mistaken, subject A angers subject B and a chain reaction based on power necessity begins to flow, it's a human necessity since the stone age where despite the dinosaurs there was time to kill each other between clans and tribes. Ive rambled long enough, because this short tale is not about war itself, but about my platoon who's giving departure to their families and closest ones for maybe the last time, they can't even tell them the truth that we are leaving as a suicide squad for top secret ops... How shameful can be war at times when you know the grand scheme of things... But me and my men are ready to die four our country, oh great fatherland we will protect you and fight for you with all our might and will.

3250 of the 4th Era, Empire of Weisshaupt

Second Lieutenant Sten Hagvar is a tall robust man, green eyes, orange hair tones, thick beard, very friendly outside of combat but earned his nickname "The Northern Bear" out his strenght prowess. His family history goes with tales of past wars and incursions since the time where men used mail armor, shields and axes. As a proud and caring father of three children Sten always told their kids fantastic stories of how splendid the rest of the world is and how they should wander the world one day and explore the unknown lands before settling in, the wife of Sten died five years ago due to Leukemia so despite having to be a military soldier he has to deal with the hardships of being a single father, at least he has his little sister who can take care of his children like her own.

"Did you enjoyed the tale tonight my little krigere (warriors)?" asked Sten finishing the fairy tale he told to his children tonight, two boys and a pretty girl, "of course you too my little prinsesse" said while patting his daughters head. "Pappa, how long will you be away? You will return right?" asked the little daughter with a sad face, she is trying her best to contain the tears from coming out, "don' worry my little flower, tis my duty to come back to you and besides i might even bring some goodies and bring you with me to fly in the aerial battleship to show you how its like hahahaha!" The two brave boys start to laugh as well and comfort their sister "Worry not, our pappa's endurance will surely bring him back to us! Until then we will be your guardians, right brother?" "Aye aye commander!" they all start laughing, even the little girl who's still worried and then with a smile the three children go to sleep. Sten leaves to a tavern to drink with his fellow comrades in his last night before leaving out to the war with his inner sorrow that he might never come back but still has to give his children a brave, confident smile.

Second Lieutenant Gandarf Gandarfson is a very pale man with a natural seductive face, short black hair, shaved, bright blue eyes, this man is a love reaper for the hearts of women, his nickname is "Sunflower", someone who lives a nihilistic life without expecting much, altho he cares a lot about his mother despite giving her a bit of trouble sometimes "Gandarf you god damn boy will you stop banging wenches in this house already!? Think of the stench that i have to clean while yerr on duty!" screams the mom angrily "Yes momma... You know im the one who always ends up cleaning it because it's my mess haha" says Gandarf with a sweet smile because he really cares about her and in the end both enjoy being angry at each other form time to time. Gandarf's mother was an corsair within a very dangerous aerial pirate group, then she met her future husband in one of the local raids, she said that she was "charmed as a siren would charm a man but in the inversed way!"

Gandarf was told that his father was killed by a bandit and that her mother took revenge in a secret vigilante movement that she was part in with another female soldier... This is partially true at least the vigilante part but it was because Gandarf's father used to drug his son and rape him in the nights then restoring his body with help of another very sick person to make him feel that nothing strange was going on. The mother noticed this and in a furious rage she unleashed a rage like no other, even worse than her corsair days... She had to face court and prison years due to the nature of what she did and how she brutalized the man, but was released early due to a contact, so Gandarf's memory of his early years are quite vague

She doesn't contain the tears but still smiles up to her son "Im going to sleep now, this weary body gets more tired with the passing of the years... I know we will have our chance to say our goodbyes tomorrow but... but... whimpers you take care me cute little lion fish will ya?" She looks very tired and his caring son carries her to her room "Yes momma, i will be very carefull, you know, i can't leave this world without bringing you a nice little grandson or granddaughter yes? I know even Alfhild will cry when she says farewell to you as well haha" Gandarf smiles while sheding a single tear due to her mother's concern, they both laught and she falls asleep, then he leaves to the tavern to meet his comrades in arms to enjoy their last night in the imperial city.

Captain Alfhild Asidottir is a battle scarred female captain, before enlisting the army she was a detective who sometimes served as a bounty hunter in a secret vigilante movement with Gandarf's mother a few years back, she's one of the oldest members of her squad at the age of forty two, daughter of a lesser noble family, Alfhild has other four sisters. Alfhild despite her battle scarred apearance she always had a cool attitude and a noble presence even in battle, her nickname is "Princess Death", she had seen many atrocious things on her life and due to the nature of this war this might not be diferent... Or it can be even worse than imagined who knows.

"Family, tomorrow is my departure to war and i want to leave knowing we have nothing unresolved, i love you all despite being kind of the black sheep of the family and giving our noble name some trouble, my little sisters, i will miss you and my nephews and nieces..." Then the family dog Thor aproaches her with a sad whimper "Yes, even you Thor hehe" Alfhild says while maintaning a smiling face. The Father says "Alfhild my lovely daughter, even despite the troubles you gave us from time to time you always proven yourself to us and in the defense of our noble family name... you will be dearly missed, even with your negligence of not bringing us a grandson or a granddaughter if you perish you will be remembered as one of the pillars of this noble house through our family's history... But please... Try and come back alive..." the old man starts to cry saying "I don't want to bury my daughter... you should be the one burying me due to old age Alfhild, always bear that in mind if you feel in doubt..." Don't worry, i won't die that easily. When the emotive dinner ends, after sharing all kinds of funny, lovely and joyful memories and stories Alfhild changes her clothing prepared to leave for a while, "Where are you going Alfhild? Don't tell me you still have some scores to settle here..." asks the mother worried "hahaha don't worry my lovely mother, i will drink my last night with my squad in the tavern, they need to be served the best and most expensive drinks in town by me!" says with a joyful face, "Ahh my oldest daughter... How i still wish everything was different with you... Still love you anyways you dummy trouble maker" says the mother after Alfhild leaves to the tavern.

Major Asmund Alrikson was an orphan started to fight for his live since the very begining of his life, he was found still attached to the umbilical cord of his dead mother who was murdered in the road, he was found by a band of mercenaries who taught (and forced him) to learn how to fight and how to be useful to the mercenary band from a young age. Asmund saw his first battle at the age of five years old, even taking his first gun kill in such an age... He was trained like a tamed wolf and showed a great proficiency for combat, "wolf come here help me with something" was screaming one of the men carrying a huge chest "Come'ere and be useful for once ya wee lad and i promise i wont be hard on yee tonight haha" boasted the mercenary. Asmund was not only a spare soldier in training and a servant, but in the night he was sold to some depraved men as a underage sex slave and no one bats and eye about it, he manages to get revenge on them with some "misfires" and he wasn't abused for some years in a sexual way because of it.

Asmund, in that time known only as "Wolf" defended himself while the leader of the mercs tried to kill him in a drunken rage, he had to escape the camp and was injured, he survived and led a lonely life going through group to group, surviving solely on fighting and selling his body to dirty and spiteful men of higher position so that he can get better equipement in a guaranteed way even if the method is gruesome and cruel. In one of the battles where Asmund was fighting, he got defeated and almost killed by a soldier form the empire, he managed to crawl outside of the battlefield to an abandoned house in a remote area and met an injured soldier of the empire there, the two of them were way too injured to defend themselves so they made a truce. "Your face... you have nowhere to go right?" says the injured soldier who also explained how he will be picked up by his men after he sent a signal... The empire soldier showed sympathy to him saying that "he knew the emotions of those eyes way better than you think, you are very young and very unfortunate... Even younger than my son..." The injured soldier invited him to live with him in the Empire, because beggars can't be choosers he couldn't resist the oportunity to survive, tis is how Wolf was renamed Asmund Alrikson.

Many years has passed, Asmund joined the Empire Army when he reached the age of 18, he's now 22, still has to this very day trouble developing emotion and affection for others, but he is loyal to his squad due to the experiences he shared with them and he says "maybe this is the closest of a true familly, right Hernon?" says to the now crippled retired soldier who rescued Asmund in the first place "I wonder where they are now... are they dead? Ive never had a chance to "thank" them for the "teachings" they gave me... Well whatever" said Asmund while walking to the tavern where he will meet his comrades.

Lieutenant Freja Thurid is a really short woman, short blonde hair, brown eyes, freckles, a girl from the countryside of the Empire. She was barely accepted in the military in her first years of service due to her slim and weak body in the sight, her nickname is "Wasp" she is the youngest one of the group and the one who make her way to Lieutenant in the shortest time due to her suprising combat capabilty and rational thinking about tactics. Freja lived with her grandparents because her parents died serving as medical doctors, so she wanted to keep following their path and serve and protect her comrades in need of medical aid, she always writes letters to her home every week "Granny, Pops, i always miss the farm, the animals, the nature, it's so quiet compared to the ruckus of the city and the academy but i don't hate it, i hope that i can hear from you soon, love ya, Freja" she smiles while leaving the letter in the post delivery box.

While Freja was walking in the night to the tavern she hears "Little ladybug, always shining even in the dim light of the streets". Freja recognizes the voice and she starts shedding some tears, when she turns she finds her grandparents in front of them walking to them "GRANNY! POPS! YOU'RE HERE!" exclaims charging to them to give them a hug "Why you didn't tell me you were coming? Jeez i would have prepared a nice dinner" she says while the grandmother says "well i see you are going to the tavern, meeting your friends are ya? Why don't we all go, you know how much we like to drink and how resistant we are to the weak alcohol of this city hahaha!" they start walking and sharing stories about the academy and the city life while walking to the tavern to meet Freja's comrades.

All the squad members meet in the tavern at last, one by one start talking and making sure they have nothing unresolved while sharing stories, they boast, they sing, they enjoy, because maybe this is the last night they'll have complete peace of mind, some get kinda drunk, Alfhild and Sten start a tavern brawl for giggles, Freja clings a little to Asmund because she likes him and Gandarf is seducing and having sex with some of the tavern maids (wenches) in the alley behind the tavern.

When they all get kicked out the tavern and walk together back to the military base Sten starts "Ahh i might miss this you know? I really hope this doesn't become a Great War like the one two thousand years ago..." Alfhild replies "Dummy, i hope so that it doesn't end up being a Great War, my father wouldn't take it in a nice way... Altho Field Marshal Alva said we were developing suicide squad like ops, jeez, testing us more than expected ay?" Asmund says "Do not worry, as long as we are together we won't die, if something happens i will throw myself for your sake first" Gandarf laughs saying "You really need the company of a woman in a shared bed before you die Asmund, i don't know why you still havent taken you oportunity with little Freja here!" he laughs loudly "You imbecile don't say such things!" Says Freja with a red embarrassed face. "I really hope we survive to have more nights like this... You have proven to be true friends and true comrades in arms, we will be victorius in our tasks or die trying!" exclaims Sten "You dumbass you wont die as long as im here with you" replies Freja and everyone starts laughing... Yes, even Asmund with a little giggle.

The day of departure is here at last, everyone is reunited in the port, the mothers, the fathers, the sons, the daughters, the lovers, the friends, everyone cheering and crying for the soldiers getting on the battleships, getting prepared for cruel and merciless battle... Only time will tell if they survive... War surely never changes... Never will... Never has... Only we can hope that our small band of warriors survive long enough to see their families and friends again...

TO BE CONTINUED SOMETIME