Dimensional Travels: World at War-Chapter 41: We won, but at what cost?

Heith looked out at the remnants of his forces. He had called for a retreat after seing half the forest be vaporized. He knew that there was no point in trying to fight a losing battle. He stood up on his throne, looking at the mortal commander, while the mortal commander stared back at him. Less than half his men had survived, and all of thejr vehicles had been destroyed. They had even lost the Brios. Heith looked down at the reports his general had brought him. Even if the dragons had been here, it would not have mattered. "We are leaving." Heith said as he looked at his advisors. Fall back to the espsonia mountains. We will garrison there while I decide what to do from here. And bring me the manaphone. Tch." Heith said as he spit on the ground. He would remember this loss, and make sure these other worlders suffered for it.

Milano watched the enemy commander leave, and sighed in relief. He slumped against his vehicle, and took out a cigarette. His hands were shaking as he lit it. CSM Heuitt came over, patting the milano on the back. "We did it sir." He said, looking out at the burning wreckage of the enemy vehicles.

"We did, but at what cost?"

Heuitt slumped against the vehicle with Milano as they both looked at the medical tent. "She will be waking up soon, sir." Milano nodded. "I know."

The official report after the battle:

659 assigned,

658 present.

And one MIA

Milano turned to Heuitt, rattling off orders. "I want him found, dead or alive. Search every nook and cranny of where that blast occurred. If there is even the slightest hope that someone found something, anything, it is immediately reported. We do not leave our fallen or wounded behind."

"Yes sir."

Eric woke up feeling weightless, his aches and pains nonexistent as he looked around the white space. It was as if he was dead, but not dead. He could hear the sounds coming from Brishan. Rotor blades of the apaches no doubt coming to rescue him, and the crackling of trees as they burned, but it was as if Eric watched the scenes from a television.

"Am I dead?" He murmured. "No, my sweet." A gentle voice responded as he looked up. There, he saw her again, the very picture of beauty defined. "I was able to intervene through the powers of faith given to me by those with whom you share love. I was not able to heal you however, so you are dying."

Eric nodded as he watched the screen. A rescue team had spread out, no doubt searching for him. He looked at his body, and gasped. "How in the world?"

The Goddess sighed with a sad smile. "I think you already know the answer to that, my sweet." She said gently.

It was then that a memory from his early childhood came rushing back. A picture frame on the mantle, with a calm voice saying "my sweet" as she stroked his hair.

"You..."

The goddess simply smiled in response.

And Eric woke up.

Pain assaulted every sense that he had. He could barely breathe as he looked up. He observed his body, noting that every limb was still attached. He groaned as he tried to take a breath, each gasp felt like fire eating at him from the inside out. He took out a smoke grenade, throwing it out into the clearing. The red smoke immediately began filling the area, its marking rising as if the goddess was guiding it into the skies.

Eric knew he was going to die. His mind idled as memories mixed with fantasies. A scene where a young girl was piggybacking on him, her cat ears and tail swinging cutely behind her as they got Ice cream.

Mia staring at the two of them as they snuck away from lessons together. "So it’s gonna be a girl, eh?" Eric said as he felt his body give out. He had attempted to stand, but to no avail. "Well. At least now she has a chance at life." If Eric hadn’t of been exactly where he was, and fired all of his mana exactly when he had, Hood Hill would have become an after thought. The Battalion had only been on this world for six months at this point, it would have been cruel fate for them to leave this world in roughly the same way they had arrived.

"HEY! HE’S OVER HERE!" A voice shouted as a soldier spotted Eric. "Report up to the chain of command. We found him."

Eric chuckled at the voices, too tired to move or speak. "About time they send the calvary." He said before everything went dark.

His entire body hurt as he woke up, for the second time that day gasping in pain and labored breathing. He looked around, realizing he was in a med tent, and chuckled. He had made it. Only through the miracle of faith and willpower had he lived. He looked over to his right, and saw Mia sleeping next to him. Her head was pressed against his hand, and he stroked her hair.

"That red smoke was a good call." A voice called out behind him. Milano stood in the corner, his weary eyes meeting Eric’s. "If we had been any later, the doc’s say you wouldn’t have made it."

Eric chuckled before sitting up in bed. The movement caused him to gasp in pain, grimacing, but he beared with it. "Did we lose anyone?" He said quietly, preparing to hear the worst.

"No."

Eric sighed in relief, leaning back against the bed as he stroked Mia’s hair. "I got lucky. I was outnumbered and outgunned. If it hadn’t of been for those new bullets, I wouldn’t be here. Those things are seriously like the M320’s."

Milano sighed as he looked at Eric. "I’m sorry for putting you out there." He said, his eyes displaying his fragility in that moment. "We have lost too many men on this deployment, and we didn’t have an asset on overwatch."

Eric sighed and shook his head. "Sir, you and I both know that the only thing that could have changed the situation is currently sitting 100 miles away. You made the right call. We were just outmaneuvered. I would have gladly given my life if it meant keeping my family and friends safe."

Milano crossed his arms and looked down at Eric. "You aren’t allowed to die before me, Dryer. That’s an order. Now rest up. You have a mandatory seven day rest period. That is also an order. You’re lucky that we are still at war and there is magic in this world, otherwise it would have been longer." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Eric sighed as he nodded. "Roger."

Milano walked out of the room.

Mia stirred as she felt fingers stroking her hair. She groaned as her eyes opened, and then she stared at Eric. Blue eyes met green eyes.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?!" She screamed, tears rolling down her face. "You could have died! You would have left me behind in... in..." she couldn’t finish the sentence, sobs echoing out of the tent. Soldiers that had rushed towards the tent were now running far away as they valued life more than listening to the scoop.

Eric grasped her hand. "Mia." He said gently. "NO. Don’t say it. I know... I know why you did it. It’s just. I was so scared Eric. Especially after that monster left. When half the sky exploded in on itself... I thought the worst. I can’t do this without you. Please don’t leave me alone. Don’t..." Her breaths came in gasps as she climbed up in bed with him. She carefully pressed her body against him as she exhaled. She kissed his head and seemed to calm down as her body finally matched with her brain. "He’s here. He’s alive."

"I was so worried." She murmured, looking up at him. Her hands never leave his body as her tail wrapped around him. It was as if she was scared he would dissappear. "You’re real... right? I’m not dreaming. It’s really you?"

Eric smiled at her gently while running his hand through her hair. He kissed her head and hugged her to his chest. "Yes, my love. It is me. I promised you I would come back. And I am a man of my word. I will always come back. Like I said before, and I will say it again:

"Even if the God’s tried to separate us, I will always find a way to come back to you."

Mia sighed in response, her ears twitching as he ran his fingers through her hair. She nuzzled up against his chest, smelling him as she rubbed her face against him. "Can you promise me to never do that again? I know it isn’t reasonable, but I can’t think of what I will do if I lose you."

Eric smiled sadly in response.

"I can’t make that promise, my love. It would be lying."