Chapter 2

Training

Waking up he looked around only to see a black void and himself in it.

He was wearing a uniform with an eagle badge on it. He didn’t know where he was or why he was in this void but one thing he knew is that this uniform wasn’t the same.

Looking aimlessly into the void he came to a realization that Adalie wanted to have this twist as a curse on him.

Lost his words he wanted to think it out rationally, however there was no rational way he could think about this.

Suddenly he felt pain.

Starting to regain his vision he was met by a slap to the face.

‘‘Wake up you rookie! Are going to sleep like this on the front? Psh, what's with this ,,Beating a soldier is against German honor thing,,? How am I going to put reason into their heads without some beating? Soldier! Do this again and you’ll wipe the floors for the next two weeks.’’

‘‘Sir yes sir!’’

Not knowing if what he was about to say was right, he went into it blind.

Indeed it was right.

Arnold was in a line of soldiers standing perfectly still. Before their eyes was a course for training, consisting of barbed wire, walls for climbing, mud(half a meter deep), running through a field filled with fake mines after going out of the mud.

After that there was a shooting range to test one’s accuracy even after going out of the course.

Even after that there was a big facility room, assuming it was part of the training it probably was a chamber filled with gas used to teach soldiers how to use gas masks.

That seemed to be the end of the course.

‘‘Soldiers! We need more reserves to fill in the losses, therefore we will need to jump straight into training after you eat. This is a general course, I was allowed to add a twist to it.

To spice things up you will take the course two times. You will need to pick a partner. You are going to carry each other both times, changing upon end. Good luck and remember, the Reich and our führer need you!’’

In order to pick a partner Arnold must get to know them.

‘‘I am assuming that we will have to eat first to know each other, however it would be more beneficial for me if I don’t socialize much. If I die I’ll have to lose people that I’ve known and that won’t be good for my mental health.’’

‘‘I see someone is thinking it out. Hmm, I wonder how long you will last this time.’’

‘‘Wait what? You can hear my thoughts?’’

‘‘No shit Sherlock, I thought you were smarter than this. If I am answering of course I can.’’

Choosing not to get angry over her remarks he followed the rest of the soldiers.

He got into the dining hall.

It was a big building with a few long tables and benches in it.

They were serving sausage with bread.

Getting down on the table he rearranged his thoughts and came to a conclusion to where he was.

Recalling the memories before his death, he remembered the uniforms of those he was fighting against. Putting two and two together he now knows on whose side and where he is.

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A training camp.

Judging by the words of his teacher the army needs to pump out reserves quickly, so assuming he go resurrected at the exact same time he died then the battle might be still ongoing.

He still doesn’t know what the war is all about, he doesn’t know borders nor nations, who attacked who.

So for him, a good way to choose a partner or start up a conversation may just be asking about the situation.

To his left and right were two blonde young men, likely pulled to war unwillingly.

Everyone was chatting, picking a partner.

Arnold chose to talk to the man on the left.

Tapping him lightly on the shoulder with the question:

‘‘So do you know the details of the war?’’

‘‘Oh hi. Uhm from what I’ve gathered we demanded Danzig from the Poles and they refused our demands, so we went to war.

They however joined the Allies so now we are fighting a two front war and the Maginot line really is a pain in the ass.’’

‘‘Uh yes who were the Allies again?’’

Hearing this question the soldier appeared surprised of how little Arnold knows, nevertheless he pulled out a map and showed him.

‘‘So the Allies consist of mainly the United Kingdom and its dominions and France here…’’

He continued to enlist details about the war, upon finishing he asked the question Arnold was hoping he wouldn’t ask.

‘‘So I still haven’t asked for you name?’’

‘‘Dammit he did it!’’

‘‘Uuu, making friends I see.’’

‘‘It’s Arnold, and you are?’’

‘‘It’s Ekerd, nice to meet you! So do you want to be partners.’’

‘‘Sure.’’

A loud stomp brought attention to the teacher who has just walked in.

His loud footsteps sound of pride and his serious facial expression captures looks and locks them on him.

‘‘Ahem. Attention everyone! You will now begin the course so prepare a partner and get going. I’ll explain it in a bit.’’

‘‘Come on Arnold, let’s go!’’

Everybody was rushing for the door, which mind you was not that big.

Going out they were met, yet again, by the course.

‘‘So I hope you picked partners and are ready to go. First you will get a backpack, each weighing about 10 kilograms, then your rifle and then your comrade. First you need to cross the barbed wire, then you need to climb the wall, jump into the mud and finally go through the mine field without stepping on any mine. Repeat this two times switching positions with your partner. Last team will have to cross the race 10 times over. Prepare and wait for my signal!’’

Now the choice of who is going to ride first, Arnold wanted Ekerd to ride him first but he kept refusing. After they got all their gear, Arnold finally agreed with him.

So now everyone has mounted their partners.

‘‘Everyone ready? Set. GO!’’

A scream enchanted the training site.

Though Ekerd seemed to be struggling.

They are now officially last place.

Running past the barbed wire they reached the wall. Ekerd wasn't making it at first, but his determination led him upward.

Everyone was already on the end of the mud.

Jumping down from the wall he landed knees first into the mud. The teacher caught this and started shouting at them.

‘‘Go ya bastards! Run for your lives!’’

And indeed he did. He ran as fast as he could.

Getting out of the mud and onto the mine field.

Everyone was having a bad time and Ekerd was no exception.

Though he got through it, they are already too far behind.

Or at least that’s what Ekerd was thinking going on Arnold’s back.

Suddenly he jumped over all the barbed wire, everyone was looking at him.

He quickly jumped on the wall and followed by going over all the mud. Afterwards he zigzagged the mine field with the speed of sound, reaching the end first.

The teacher was in shock, everyone was in shock.

What were they thinking, one might never know.

The soldiers continued whilst the teacher ran over to Arnold.

‘‘Say boy, are you a magician, wh-what was that?’’

‘‘I don’t have to tell you.’’

‘‘For the good of the Reich tell us!’’

‘‘Yes it’s magic, but you cannot gain it.’’

‘‘Well how do you have it?’’

‘‘I was born with it.’’

‘‘Okay continue on and after the training ends come to my office.

Next you will need to shoot the dummies and continue to the gas chamber, I’ll tell you what to do there.''

Arnold fired at all the dummies with 100% accuracy.

Others soon followed after him and now they are all gathered up before the chamber.

‘‘So, first you’ll need to put on these filters and then the mask like this. Then go through it and if your ayes tear up get out and do it again until it works.’’

Everyone went through the chamber flawlessly.

Some hours have passed and everyone is relaxing around a campfire with the exception of Arnold and Ekerd, who went to the teacher’s office.

Going in the quiet room they were met by a desk with the teacher sitting on it and two chairs in front of it.

‘‘Come, please, seat yourselves.’’

Sitting on the screeching chairs they were carefully examined by the teacher.

‘‘So I discussed this with other officials and… You and your friend will be sent to the Polish front as a secret surround force. We plan to surround their forces at Bzura with a secret push.’’

‘‘Dammit why are they bringing him along with me?’’

‘‘What’s the matter? You don’t like friends?’’

‘‘Shut up!’’

Without realizing it he shouted that out loud.

‘‘Haha, are you dumb?’’

‘‘WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU ROOKIE?’’

‘‘No, I don’t think he meant it, right Arnold?’’

His carelessness has got him in a bad situation…