“Name?”
“Robert, sir.”
“Full name!”
Not even raising his eyes from the papers before him, the bearded officer demanded with a low squeaky voice. Dressed in a similar dark gray uniform as everyone else, he had a few extra insignias on his chest and shoulders. Painted in dark red, they looked like two letters “X” connected to each other and indicated an unknown, but definitely a high rank of this dwarf. Robert already noticed dots on whom he assumed were ordinary soldiers. He didn’t know the exact system, but his own uniform had none, putting him in the lowest position possible – the private.
“I am sorry, sir, but I have gaps in my memory after a head injury,” pointing to his bandage, Robert shrugged. That finally made the officer look at him, simultaneously allowing Rob to study the face of the dwarf.
After spending some time in the clinic and listening to talks between soldiers, while moving the corpses, he managed to understand a few things about this world. The following short chat with Beth during their rest on the floor of a small lumber room in the back of the building was also useful. It wasn’t much, but still helped somewhat to be ready to face a new reality and to adapt quickly.
The current huge war was going on between the Balordin Kingdom and the Tribes Coalition as the main sides of the conflict. The first was named after the creator of the royal family that united dwarfs and humans in a single nation. After centuries in local time, the mixture of both races had destroyed the boundaries between them. Pure humans in this realm had no facial hairs, were lean and tall, and somehow were related to long-extinct elves, but Rob didn’t have the opportunity to ask for the details. Obviously, there was no library in the vicinity. Dwarves, on the other hand, had an almost classic appearance. The difference was that after the rise of technology, the absence of the need for physical activity had made them their robust physique, distorting the usual proportions of a barrel.
Throughout history, Balordin Kingdom waged enough conquering war to capture most of the land and to completely wipe out orcs and fairies. The former were too aggressive, bringing the doom by their stupidity, while the latter just didn’t want to bend down until the end. Their fight quite soon took a terroristic approach, killing whole villages of innocent civilians without any real reason, except “blood for blood”. This led to the death of every single member of the race by the decree of the King. On the other hand, ogres willingly went to reservations, saving themselves from disappearing forever together with their culture, which opposed any change that was brought by technology.
Obviously, such horrible deeds couldn’t be easily forgotten. Therefore, despite a really long period of peace, when several generations had changed, beastmen still thought that they would be next. Uniting all their tribes by one banner under the disguise of protection, their Tribe Council decided to strike first. Using the reason of possible genocide of their race, they started to do exactly the same thing, not sparring with anyone, even children. That soon resulted in a real-world war, when more and more countries joined one of the sides. It already had lasted for five local years, not showing any signs of stopping. Moreover, with more deaths the hatred between both parties only raised. However, having exhausted most of the weaponry in the beginning, they soon came to a stalemate. Rob was going to become one of many from a newly recruited batch of soldiers to fuel the war.
“An ogre? Never seen one of yours… Hm, too hairy for them – did you have one of the dwarves in your family? Maybe even one of your parents?”
Putting down his glasses on the table, he started to examine Robert’s appearance with undisguised interest. That allowed Rob to do the same. The officer’s face was similar to his own – crude facial features and lots of hair. Deep-set dark eyes above the huge nose had a piercing effect, which made Robert silently nod, answering the question.
“I hope it gave you enough brain not to be dumb as your big half… I assume you have lost your soldier’s tag. Not surprised… Fine. Stewart!”
“Yes, sir,” Blonde young man with short hair and a horrible scar on his cheek hastily stood up from one of the tables, almost turning it upside down. Barely keeping everything in place, he quickly rushed to the senior officer, while showing the desire to serve with all his looks. The dwarf only sighed at that.
“Check the records of missing or presumably dead recruits with the name Robert. We need to identify him, collect all the info in case of his death, and give him a new tag. Send him to me afterward.”
“Yes, sir! Will be done, sir!”
Turning to Rob, he grimaced with annoyance before hiding it a moment later and only pointing to his table. Robert wanted to thank the officer, but the dwarf was already speaking with the next soldier in line. Therefore, he just followed this Stewart, trying to be as careful as possible. The small gaps between the tables together with the overall density of furniture made it hard for him to fit with ease. Especially taking into account that the highest person Rob had seen here was barely reaching the level of his lips.
I even forgot about how it is uncomfortable to be so tall…
The attempt to sit on the chair before Stewart’s working table had failed miserably when it started to creak as if almost going to die under his weight. Getting another gaze filled with irritation from an officer with a single “X”, Rob hastily stood up, not wishing to test the sturdiness of the wood. Patiently waiting for an outcome, he started to look around.
There were two officers in the rank of dwarf. Each of them had at least three adjutants. Therefore the line of soldiers was moving quite fast. Not all of them were wounded. Most of them were quite young, almost teenagers. Only one in a dozen had different ages, ranging from Rob’s to even well over forty by Earth standards. Maybe because of life experience, the latter group was the calmest. Not having any shine in their eyes, they were not clouded by heroic images of themselves on the battlefield. No, on the contrary, there was a mixture of resolve and emptiness in them. As if they had lost something precious.
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Vengeance? Could be….
Robert silently sighed, thinking about his own fate. He started to feel burned out – too exhausted to even find a way out from his constant struggles. He knew that his dream about enjoying a normal life was at the same distance as when he died in his bunker. Nothing had changed and he didn’t know what to do with that. Rob didn’t feel any fear about being thrown into a real war, despite knowing his vulnerability in real full-scale conflict. Hell, he knew it firsthand. But the inability to change the situation pressed on him, worsening the mood.
That was the reason why he didn’t try to find out more about the world, the real reasons for war, and other staff. What for? It would change nothing on the battlefield, making many things irrelevant. Moreover, he wasn’t sure how long he would be here. The system refused to answer the request, constantly repeating about the severely damaged link.
Then I just need to focus on rare spots of light and pleasure that I can get even in such circumstances. Or else I will go insane in no time. For example, Beth, who was…
However, his memories about the night were interrupted by Stewart. Hitting the table a few times with his fist to get Robert’s attention, he started to speak with an irritated tone.
“Listen up, private. I don’t see any Robert in the lists at all. If you were not so eye-catching, I would think you were a spy. So, tell me, private, what do I do with you?”
“Check the list again?”
Noticing how Stewart was going to blow up from anger, already being annoyed beyond any measure, Rob hastily added:
“I am sorry, sir officer. They took a metal piece from my head. I was lying for three days straight completely unconscious. Everything is messed up in here,” pointing to his own head, Robert continued, “Maybe I’ve made a mistake in my name… or I reminded another name… You see, everyone addresses me as Ogre, not using any name. I am sorry to take your precious time. I just wanted to be useful and not a liability as I always was. Too dumb, too big. And that even despite my ability to count up to one hundred and thirty, and even use addition and subtraction… The circus used only my strength – the single thing I can be proud of, but even despised me…”
“Circus? Were you in a circus?”
Fuck, why I did say that?
“Yes, sir high officer. I can’t remember everything, but I am sure of it. You don’t believe? I can show!”
Quickly, not to give time to react, Robert grabbed the edge of the table with his palm. Squeezing the wood, he pushed it upwards, almost making Stewart drop from his chair. Putting both of his hands on the surface of his working table, the man tried to stop it but failed. The piece of furniture was raised in the air, being held by a single hand. Slightly trembling under the weight, it was on the verge of dropping everything onto the floor.
“Put it back! I believe you, I believe… Good, I saw someone named Roberto… Where was it? A second…”
Hastily flipping through the pages, Stewart stopped on one before pointing at it with his finger.
“Roberto Diadko…lebor…shviz… Diadkoleborshviz… Oh, damn, now I understand why everyone has called the Ogre. You don’t look like Roberto, and your family name is just unpronounceable.”
Holy crap – how in the world you can remember that gibberish?
“Yes, sir high officer, I agree, sir high officer,” making a dumb face once again, Robert just nodded, simultaneously trying to show himself as a pathetic stupid giant, who could easily be described as an ogre.
“Okay, tell your name… no, stop… give this to captain Ironspike,” writing down his information on a piece of paper, Stewart almost put it into Robert’s palms, before pointing behind his back.
“Thank you, sir high officer, for your help. I can come back and help with anything you need. Maybe you need help to move something, I can do it!” grabbing the table once again, Rob was immediately stopped by Stewart.
“You… just go and report.”
“Thank you, sir high officer, for your valuable help. It is even bigger than cooking!” bowing to him, Robert quickly turned around and went back. The soldier, who was speaking with the dwarf wanted to oppose at first but after looking closely at the towering figure he just silently stepped aside. The bearded officer had ignored it, taking the note from Rob’s hands and starting to check one of the thick registers, which were before him.
“Don’t pretend to be too dumb – with ogre’s lineage, you already don’t have many chances to be promoted… And only a higher position… or luck… will help you to live longer, ROBERTO.”
Stressing his name, the dwarf looked at Rob again as if trying to see through his crude appearance the real him.
“I am not him indeed, but I am ready to replace him. I sneaked in for that reason. All I know is to fight with my hands. Just wanted to be helpful, where it needed but not where it only helps to make other’s wallets grow thicker,” feeling the piercing gaze of this small man, Robert decided to confess his lie, while adding new ones in return. It wasn’t logical in the slightest. However, something told him that this time the consequences of trying to bullshit would be dire. It had worked twice in the realm of swords and nobility, but here it seemed the dwarf had easily seen through it. That, or a few sentences in his file was enough to expose him immediately.
“Okay. We will see. You could have made a good artilleryman with your strength – the shells are heavy. But I will put you in the infantry. Moreover, I will mark you as unstable and dumb so you will be never promoted. I will ban you from any leaves too far from the front lines. Oh, you will be sent immediately as an addition to already formed company. Are we clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Robert sighed before smiling widely, trying to make his fake grimace more believable.
“I see you got it. Good, Roberto, good. Take this note your commanding officer in building 16… And welcome to 189 infantry company of 93 “Steel pickaxes” Regiment of Fourth Infantry army, soldier.”
Robert just nodded under the heavy gaze of the dwarf, who was trying to see any reaction. Taking the note and turning around, Rob only made a few steps, before his ears caught the barely audible mumbling of the officer.
“Another stupid light-headed idiot on his way into the grave…”
Maybe you are damn right about the last part.
Walking out of the building, Robert stopped near the entrance, observing the sky. Painted in grey, it was cold and unfriendly. The strong wind only intensified this feeling of heavy atmosphere that was coming from the sky. As if nature itself was trying to show what was coming in the future – the deaths, the blood, the mud without any heroic deeds.
My life is like in the loop. Even this conversation brought a real déjà vu. Different man, different realm, different circumstances, but the very same situation. Again, I am lying about getting into the army, despite my own dream to live an ordinary normal life. Do I even know what is normal? Will I ever be normal after all my experience? Okay, Rob, don’t dive into such thoughts… Focus on small things that can make you happy. Everything is going to be fine… sometime in the future. Yeah, it just can’t be worse than several wars in a row together with lonely survival on the island? Yes? Right?
Sighing once again, he lowered his gaze from the pale firmament above his head only to see Beth, who was quickly walking with a familiar doctor towards the truck with wounded soldiers. Catching her gaze, Robert widely smiled and winked only to see how she rolled her eyes on his action. Such a simple exchange somehow increased his mood greatly, pushing aside everything that bothered him a moment ago.
Everything will be fine!