Youjo Senki: Valhalla

Chapter 9: The fight in the church

"Wahh! What's happening! Who are you all!? I wanna go back to Sister Anna wah!" One of the girls who is standing still behind the window begins crying out loud due to all the confusion and chaos that she has been through this past few hours. Unable to understand why are there so many bad guys suddenly in the church and why she is here now, she could only cry and cry, reverting to the natural instinct of a child. The same situation is also repeated to the few children who are also being treated as a meat shield, with some being forced to stand in front of the soldier, while some others are just left on their own to show their presence to the German.

This however could not be said to one of the blonde hair girls named Tanya though, who has remained silent until now and not muttering a single word. Her eyes cold and emotionless, her small body standing still in front of the open window, ignoring the bullethole which spread around the church's wall.

Silently, she analyses the situation and picks a spot to stand which is surrounded by many obstacles, reducing her chance of being shot to the lowest. As she knows any bullet hitting will very likely result in the death of this small and malnourished body.

The shooting from the German ceased a while ago ever since they realized what the French were trying to do, regrouping and tries to come up with a viable plan. The French soldiers on the other hand take this chance to respite and reload their rifles, discussing ways to get away from this encirclement. Taking cover from anything they could find, the result is the quite decimated church.

"Sir, this is too much!" One of the French shouting towards the leader to express his dissatisfaction with the crime they are committing. "Using children as meat shields! Did you sell your soul to the devil!? I would rather die with honor than using their flesh to save my life!"

"I agree sir! This shouldn't be something that a soldier should do! We could be court-martial for this!" A soldier from the other side shouts out loud, agreeing with his comrades.

Not everyone is fine with using such methods, although no child is harmed yet, but the very thought of an adult male using a child as a meat shield disgusts them. Looking at the children who are crying, they feel a deep sense of guilty infiltrating their very hearts, condemning them for the act they are committing.

"Shut up! Follow order or be treated as a traitor to the republic!" The leader also in anger shouted back to his subordinate. "Our intel is too important to be lost! We can discuss your damn sense of morality after this, or else my bullet shall be the one that will be debating with you."

"Now, we need to think of ways to break through their encirclement. Grab a few children and bring them along with us, they are our keys to escaping from here." Shouting orders again and giving his men some direction, the crying children are again grabbed by the soldiers but this time towards their horses.

Rushing through the open front door of the church, the French with some carrying children begin to run towards their horse who is located in a small barn that protects them from the German's gun. Lowering their head and running through the open field, they pray that the German will have mercy upon their soul, or at least the children's one.

And sadly, it seems like war really could change a human's thinking.

Noticing what the French are trying to do, Baugalf decides that they couldn't afford to let them escape. Biting his teeth, he issued down an order to let the firing continue to his men who still hope for some mercy on the child. In the end, their rifle begins spitting fire again at their target who is moving towards their horse with no regard for the innocent lives that may be lost.

"Damn it, the German is ignoring the child!" Realizing their tactic isn't working as intended, the leader nonetheless continues his plan. "Fast! We must break through their line now!"