Battle For Credence Airfield

Third Battle Group Field Command

Commander Gore sighed as he listened to the messenger's response from the First Battle Group. "Bloody Warmonger, can't even think straight..." He muttered before looking up to the poor messenger. "This battle is lost. We're only going to waste the rest of our veterans at the rate this battle drags on. The Third will be retreating and heading back to friendly lines in a few hours."

"Sir, would you like me to relay that information to the First Battle Group first?" the messenger asked,

"No, lad, you look like you need rest. I'll send another officer to inform the reckless bastard my decision."

"But sir..." the messenger started to say before being silenced when the Commander raised his right hand as though to stop him. 

Commander Gore looked at the messenger's shoulder pad for his rank and spoke aware of his intentions, "Now Corporal. I know you've been verbally abused by the First Battle Group Commander and hope to spare your replacement. However, you do not need to subject yourself when you clearly need rest and chow. Also get a corpsman to take a look at you. You walked for several kilometers back in the mud, and the last thing I need is another man with trench foot. Do you understand my orders?"

"Crystal sir," the Messenger replied almost dejectedly, before saluting the Commander and taking his leave.

As the Messenger exited the room, the Second Battle Group Commander, Captain Niji Raizou, entered the tent. "Well?" the 2nd Battle Group Commander asked Gore. "Commander Ikko accuses us of being cowards while He ordered the First to fight to the last man."

"That so..." Raizou replied before continuing, "Well that'll spare my men from being the rear guard and holding them back. Is there a messenger going to inform Ikko?"

"No, I'll tell him directly that we're pulling out. In the meantime, I'd like you to oversee the withdrawal here." said Gore.

"No sir, It would be better for me to inform that moron before he gets his entire Battle Group Killed." replied Raizou,

"You don't think I can handle a reckless officer?" asked Gore as his visage turned stern.

"No, sir, I think you can handle a reckless idiot, but that is a waste of your time considering the fact that you are still the Commanding Officer of the Third Battle Group. However, Commander Ikko of the First Battle Group still has command over elements of the Second Battle Group, which are MY men sir. And if push comes to shove and someone needs to relieve that idiot of command, I would like to take charge of MY MEN and conduct rear guard operations to secure your withdrawal." replied Raizou.

Gore thought about Raizou's words briefly and responded, "Fine, I'll let you handle it."
"Thank you Commander Gore, I will take a detachment of the Second and leave immediately." Raizou said as he saluted and swiftly exited the room.

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Somewhere near the front lines

Corporal Maz Yamada crawled behind the wreckage of a technical after barely surviving the enemy rocket artillery barrage. In the distance he could hear the signal for the wave to pull back and reform, while another wave assaulted a different position. However, as he rested behind the wreckage, Yamada observed the hellish landscape around him. Bodies half buried in the mud as the force of the blast forcefully twisted the dead into eerie poses. Their arms reaching up towards the heavens as if to beg for mercy and forgiveness.

Limbs strewn across the "killing fields" as his comrades were torn to shreds by the enemy artillery barrages. As he observed the wounded who lay abandoned by his fellow soldiers he could hear the various cries for help, for their loved ones... and moans for someone to end their misery and suffering. From the cries of anguish he could make out a familiar but muffled voice, The Sergeant, Corporal Yamada's mentor and partner for the battle. 

"Thank the Goddess, he's alive..." muttered the Corporal as he fumbled forward and crawled in the direction of the Sergeant. As he continued to crawl, each second felt like an eternity as his mind tormented him with thoughts of death and failure. Despite these thoughts, Yamada pressed on until he found his partner pleading for death repeatedly. Yamada could see that the sergeant was partially buried in the mud while his right arm was mangled by shrapnel and exposed to the Mustard gas that settled at the bottom of the crater.  

"Oh... hell... I'm going to get you out of there sarge." shouted Yamada as he slid down the crater towards the Sergeant. "Sarge," Yamada said again as he reached the Sergeant. "Its me. Corporal Yamada, I'm going to get you out of this hell sir." Yamada digs the sergeant out of the mud as the sergeant protested weakly repeating his cry for death. "Please... Kill.... me..."

After successfully digging him out of the dirt, Yamada dragged the sergeant out of the crater muttering "I'm sorry" repeatedly as the Sergeant howled in pain and demanded to be killed. Yamada stopped caring about whether he was exposed to the enemy's line of fire as he focused solely on getting his mentor to safety...