The Beginning of The End
Ghost of Ages Past
Morning breaks the steady night to reveal a world that has ripped itself to pieces. The once glorious city of Berlin has once again found itself bearing the scares of war. This is just one of the many cities in the year of 2075 that have become the playground for the war between the United States and Russia. The only European country that has been mostly spared is the United Kingdom, choosing to stay neutral after seeing most of Europe crushed under the tracks of the two warring nations. The front line of the war has been steadily kept somewhere inside what once was the country of Germany. My name is Sergi Zolnerowich, 22 years of age and a well-built former Russian Cossack, a Mercenary group which I used to call family. I once fought for a Russia I thought still stood strong, but after a few "incidents" I decided to defect to the American's side. Once we met a mutual agreement I helped slowly advance against the Russian positions. I thought it ironic when we stepped onto Berlin's doorstep, that once before in time a cruel power was settled in this once grand city. Before it was the fascist third Reich who held on to the city desperately against the Russian forces, and now the Russians were facing the same challenges the Germans did. As I looked around to see the faces of Americans that trusted me more than their superiors did. Most of them where new replacement from the brutal fighting just outside the city limits. The sniper of the team was a young man by the codename of 'Snake'. He took pride in his Irish ancestry and will prove it to you if you challenged him. The heavy weapons specialist was a man by the name of Joseph Gilbert, who came from one of the few places left in the United States that was not covered in steel and glass. He tried his best to keep everything simple. Most importantly would be the commander, Colonel Brad Miller. He could almost swear that he knew what would happen in a battle before it even happened. Looking behind me walked a green member of the squad. Ever since I saved his ass back at the last battle, he has been sticking close to my side like glue.
"Excuse me, uh, sir?" The newest member asked me as he jogged up to keep up.
"Yes private ..." I responded after I thought he had already finished interrogating me with random questions about myself. From what he already told me about himself. He was a something called a Brony; he was a vet before he decided to join the war and couldn't wait to get back to his family of three sisters and two brothers.
"I was just curious what that weapon you have there is?" He responded sheepishly.
Finally I thought something that I wouldn't mind answering.
"This, my friend, is a PPSH-41. It has been in the hands of Cossacks since 1942. By the way what was your name again?" I proudly answered and turned my head to emphasize my question.
Straightening his posture and saluting, he shouted out, “Private First Class Michael Anderson, Medical Battalion!"
"Looks like someone has a new puppy dog." Chuckled Snake followed by assorted snickering throughout the new ranks.
"Quiet down back there unless you want the Russians to know where we are, now the objective is just a further bit down this street." Shouted the colonel from up in the front.
Our objective today was to do reconnaissance on an old cathedral turned museum that recently came under the eye of Military Intelligence. Our job was to clear the building of any hostiles and take hold of any Intel in the building. This cathedral was built to replicate the one in Florence. Built to such size, it made many people feel like they were being watched by the divine. Apon entry, Snake looked up at the huge dome of the cathedral and made the sign of the cross. For someone as sarcastic and critical, it was easy to forget how religious the man was. Preparing for the worst, I attached the gas mask visor to my helmet. In a few seconds, I heard the helmet sealing the mask in and the startup of the Heads Up Display. With everything up and running, the HUD showed my squad and their health readings. The world changed from dull colors to everything tinted red. As we began to clear the rooms of any possibility of hostiles, no one took notice of the wooden floors of the oldest parts of the cathedral until they collapsed under the weight of the small armory I carried with me
"You all right down there?" shouted down Joseph
"Yeah, just give me a sec." I replied as I regained my footing
Taking a good look around at my surroundings, I found myself in what appeared as part of the basement of the cathedral. For a second I thought I had rid myself of that Private Anderson who just couldn't stop asking questions. Any hopes of that were dashed when I saw him lift his head from a pile of rubble from the crash.
"I can't see a way to get back up there from here." I shouted "I'll try to find another way back up."
"Sound like a plan, just don't get too carried away down there you two." Colonel Miller said through the radio headset in my helmet. "Be careful down there. We have heard reports of possible Russian tunnel systems below Berlin. So keep sharp while you’re down there."
Giving a farewell salute to the rest of my squad. I proceeded out a doorway to be quickly followed by Private Anderson. After following the series of hallways and dead ends we approached a large metal doorway.
"This doesn't look like the rest of the cathedral. Do you think it's new?" whispered Anderson.
"No, this looks to be older than the rest of the building. I'm going to place my money that this cathedral was built over the ruins of a former church." I stated as I stepped closer to open the door. The doorway lead to a large pit with stairs leading down to where the bottom might have been.
"I think that we should stay back and try to find a way to get back with the squad." said Anderson in a voice filled with fear.
Chuckling to myself, "I'm stuck down here with a nervous private; this is NOT going to end well."
"Look there is no other way up from down here and this is the only way. Who knows, we might stumble into something that hasn't seen for a long time." I said in a louder voice to catch his attention. He seemed to be having a serious problem with going down until the whole ceiling above us shock violently, covering everything with dust.
"Colonel what is happening up there?" I shouted into my helmet.
"The Russians...they were waiting for us...their artillery is tearing this place apart." He struggled to say between coughs.
"Colonel! What Is Happening!" I shouted out.
"Get yourself and the private out of here...We won't last much longer...GO NOW, That’s... an ord..." The Colonel tried to say before everything went to white noise.
After trying to get a hail from the colonel from every other channel, I was snapped back into the reality when the ceiling violently shaked again. Seeing the private just standing there in shock, I grabbed him by the collar of his Kevlar vest and shouted at him.
"Private! We need to get our asses in gear. Now get down these stairs!"
Needing no other persuading, he sprinted toward the stairs and bolted down them faster than I could ever think he could run. Quickly following him down the stair we came up to pair of thick metal doors that looked similar to the ones up above. I saw that the private was having trouble with trying to budge the doors. Seeing this I increased my speed down the stair and rammed into the door with my shoulder covered in advanced Russian heavy armor. Private Anderson barely got of the way before I broke open the stubborn doors and raced inside. On the other side was what appeared as an old tomb covered in maps and filled with Russian personnel. Turning to see what could be making the commotion the Russians saw a heavily armored friendly and a low ranking American soldier busting through the old iron doors into the command center. I took advantage of their shock of what just happened to fill the room with an entire drum of my PPSH-41. After assuring that the room was cleared I turned to see Private Anderson standing there, still trying to process what just happened. After pulling him back to reality for a second time we got around to searching the bodies for supplies and any Intel. Finding duffel bags in a neighboring room, we filled up with as much as we could before hearing a sharp crack from the iron doorway to see rubble falling down and blocking up where we just came from. Sealing us from the world. Hearing a high pitch scream I slowly turn to the Private who I thought was just stating the obvious about how we were trapped but was stunned to see something very different. There was Private Anderson standing with his gun out, screaming at the top of his lungs, staring at what appeared as a medieval knight. This knight had a strange appearance about him, like if he was not really hear but a vision. Raising his hands, he said.
"Do not be afraid. For I am Sir Henry Longworth, Paladin of the Knights Templar." The apparition said “I see that you are in need of some assistance. I know another way out."
I contemplated what this ghost said as I moved over to Private Anderson to snap him back into shape. A quick slap to the back of the head got most of his attention. Grabbing him by the shoulders and forced him to look towards me.
"Look at me Anderson. No one is trained for this, but you have to stay focused. Now lets ask this new 'Friend' of ours wants for this other way out."
Turning back to the ghost who was patiently standing there. Waiting for what my answer would be.
"What is the catch?" Asked the newly awaken Anderson.
"There is no catch. Just an open invitation..." The ghost replied "And from what it sounds like that invitation might be gone quicker than you thought."
That’s when I heard from the white noise from my helmet changed to the Military Warning System. After a series of beeps and buzzes a female voice calmly announce that the Russians have launched multiple nuclear warheads as a last ditch attempt to win the war. At the same time a radio in the tomb was saying how the United States have launched nukes back at Russian positions to stop the inevitable Russian rule. Along with that came the sounds of footsteps coming from a door off to the right.
"Which way." I said quickly, more worried about the soldiers coming from the door then adding "I doubt that you know a place that will survive a nuclear winter."
"You’re standing on it." the Knight said as he walked towards us. "Be ready, this might be rough."
The footsteps had stopped and the clear sound of a blow torch could be heard. A white light started to appear from the floor as the door became close to being breached. As the door slammed to the ground a sound of a grenade launcher went off and a White flash filled the room. Everything was white for a moment, then as the colors flooded back into the world. Revealing a large lion with the wings of a bat and the tail of a scorpion. Worst of all, I heard the metallic clicking of a Bouncing Betty hitting the floor.