My name is Erwin, and I am an ex-military officer and once an idol for my country, the perfect war machine of the front lines. Till the last year.

My legacy ended with the sign of the first peace treaty.

In wartime, I did what every member of my family did. Join the military and do your best to become proud of your country. Almost every member of my family has ties with our countries military.

My great grandfather was a great general that fought in a war that unified our country, and my grandfather and my father were both high-ranking military officers who served our country with honor.

And I was the leader of a special forces division. We did the things seem impossible several times. You wouldn't even guess how happy the politicians of our country were.

We were the perfect soldiers for an all-out propaganda campaign.

Posters, books, public television showing the drone footage of our missions, even some toys, which I have the whole collection in my house.

People called me Graywolf. The soldier that never failed a single mission. The enemy cannot hide from him. He always knows where you are. He is the most dangerous man alive, etc.

Words of the public even made me believe that.

But after ten years of war and more than millions of casualties from both sides. A new government that is targeting peace and reconstruction won the elections.

The first thing they did was sign a cease-fire with the enemy, then they spent one year decreasing the military spendings and purging the pro-war supporters.

All the propaganda movies, posters, books even toys were banned. The new government wanted to destroy any sign of pro-war propaganda.

They forced me to retire from the army and stay low. I was banned from public talks and showing myself in advertisements.

I did what they said. Even though I enjoyed every second of the war, it still wore me off like every citizen of my country. I don't want to admit it, but I am happy it ended.

Last of the soldiers are now leaving the front lines, including the division I once lead. So we arranged a meeting at a bar popular amongst the soldiers. It will be good to see them after a long time.

After waiting for some time, I was finally with them. We hugged and cheered as we saw each other. We exchanged gifts, and after a small talk on foot, we moved to the pub and sat at a big table. We ordered drinks and food. Time began flowing faster than it ever did.

*****

I pointed to one of my comrades. "You remember the raid at that mountain fort. The one where Pechman almost got itself killed because he tried to act cool in front of the hostages." Memories from the war, small sceneries from the hell that we ironically cherish today.

Pechman, the guy who I just talked about, palmed his face. "We must talk about that every time we meet, right, so I am telling everyone once again how could I knew the gun was going to get jammed on a moment like that" To give some extra detail.

The enemy was holding Pechman and some civilians hostage, and we went for a rescue mission. This idiot somehow managed to escape from the custody and steal the sidearm of the guard.

At the same time, we managed to enter the building he was holding hostage. "Give this message to your friends currently burning in the hell. When I die, we will meet once again, that was what Pechman said, or it was something like that as I remember." While he was saying these words, we entered the building.

"So I pulled the trigger and pow. Gun jammed. Thankfully the Great Graywolf and his never missing shoots saved my ass there and killed that guy before he killed me."

One of the soldiers poked the Pechman. "Be careful with your manners, or this Graywolf might bite you."

"I am not the Graywolf anymore. Remember everyone. I am only a civilian right now. Not the legend told in propaganda movies." I turned my head towards the ceiling and sighed.

"You people still remember that one day right, maybe some of you who joined our force later will not remember, but around five years or something before, we joined into an urban termination mission."

Roland, an old and trusty friend of mine, began talking. "You are talking about the school attack. Not many people in here saw that even though most of you are almost with us for more than four years,"

Roland ordered a heavy drink. "Six years ago, it was a regular summer day, and students were happy because of upcoming summer break. Group of terrorists and traitors among the public security forces took a whole school hostage and stole all the joy from their lives."

I pat the Rolands shoulder. "No need for details. I can give a fast summary. We are here to cheer, not get disgusted." The reason why the enemy attacked the school was for negotiation."

I still remember that one voice coming out of that school's broadcast system. "Release the general, or we kill one kid every two minutes."

"Far as I remember, only fifty students from that school were unharmed, and around two hundred of them survived in total, and casualties were around four hundred or something closer to that."

I raised my hand. "I don't want to talk about that, but I can say one thing, it cost us a bloody sacrifice."

Everyone stopped talking, but I doubt if it's because of what I said. I feel kind of funny.

My view is slowly getting colorless. My headaches like it never did before. "Does anyone feel the same?" I lost control over my body and slammed my head to the table.

*****

I opened my eyes, but there wasn't anything except the void. It is only the void with no sign of any light.

I tried to scream for help, but nothing came out of my mouth. I tried to move, but my limbs did not respond.

Maybe that's an afterlife. How pathetic that would be for me. The great wolf, our nation's most renowned soldier, died in a bar.

Thankfully that's not my end, and some lights began appearing in the dark.

They are shining like stars in the night sky.

Then a figure, I can only describe as divine ripped appeared.

The figure is looking like a mass of energy put in the shape of a human, but its movements and gestures are so smooth and readable, I can see it talking with the other lights.

I tried to listen to his words, but I was just too far. I tried to scream for help, but my mouth didn't open, doesn't matter how hard I tried. After some time, the divine figure finally turned towards me.

The pure smile on its face slowly turned into a more devilish one. It slithered beside me like a snake. An ice blue light began flowing through my body from the Divine being's fingers.

*****

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" I screamed and got up from the ground. "I can see, I can hear, I can move."

I pinched my arm too, and yes, I am alive and still breathing.

Then where is everybody? I am not sure about what happened just now,

But I should wait and think first. Breathe in, breath out. Let's see where I am.

There are pine trees everywhere, that is one thing, and everywhere is full of snow. That's normal. We are in January, after all. Wait, did we drink too much and walk to a nearby forest. No, I remember collapsing before I even finished my first beer.

"Markus, Roland, anyone!" I shout with all my lungs while moving around with the hope of finding somebody.

I hope I can find any of them or at least a road or something. Oh, I should have my phone with me.

I put my hand inside my pockets, but no.

No, no, no, no, fuck. It isn't in my pocket, did I forget my phone on the table. Fuck! Then what do I still have?

I emptied my pockets to the ground. "My watch, a lighter, the gift from Pechman, my wallet, and that's all."

No, something is wrong. It couldn't be one in the morning. There is no way, the sun is at the top, and clearly, it is morning time.

I don't want to accept it.

Now, I can wait for help to come, which will be stupid because my ass is freezing, or I can search for a shelter and build a campfire.

A cold breeze hit my face.

I am going with option two.

*****

I am wandering in a snowy forest that I don't know, and I can proudly say it isn't my stupidest idea.

A shack, even an abandoned one, will do good enough, maybe a cave. I don't care about what I got long as I keep my ass away from outside.

I only need somewhere to wait for help.

And let's see what we got here a cave! And t1he good thing is there is no sign of a hibernating bear inside.

I started opening Pechman's gift.

"For god's sake, please be something useful." I opened the leather pouch, and yes! A swiss army knife.

I excepted that idiot to give me something that can be considered a joke, but I am not complaining.

"I can at least kill or at least survive if a wolf jumps over me." I slowly entered the cave. "Inside is much better than outside, and there is no sign of predators inside.

That's great, at least for now. I still need to find something to burn for the fire.

Smaller tree branches could be used as fuel for my fire, considering I might break them apart from the main body using my weight and strength.

Think, think, think. I don't know how long will it take help to arrive, and I don't want to die because of the cold.

I heard a footstep. It is similar to a human, maybe a hunter, or one of my guys. I don't care that much. I need help. Just don't be a psycho serial killer, and we are okay.

"Hey, I am lost, and I need some help. Can you tell me where is the closest tow- For the fucks sake, what the hell!"

I jumped back like a scared cat and almost stumbled to myself and fell to the ground.

To be sure that is not a dream, I pinched my arm. Nothing changed. The skeleton is still standing in its place.

I am not dreaming or hallucinating. It is a fucking skeleton standing in front of me.

Isn't thousands of bullshit currently happening enough? No, it appears it is not. My view, just like a damaged camera, started glitching.

Colorful boxes are randomly appearing and disappearing in front of me.

"Am I under the effect of something." I moved towards the skeleton to touch it. My eyes might be under the effect of something, but I can sense the things I interact with it. Right?

Skeleton raised his hand to the air and swung its mace towards me. I barely dodged it by stepping back.

"Okay, I will forget that you are something that shouldn't be moving and treat you as a human enemy for now."

I dashed towards the skeleton and grabbed the arm holding the mace, then with my other remaining arm, I grabbed it fby its skull.

Skeleton attacked my face with its other hand. Its slap felt more like a feather touching my face than an attack.

I lifted the skeleton and smiled towards it. 'You are not strong, are you?" I need something hard to crush its skull, and I know that thing.

I slammed the skeleton's skull towards the cave's wall. It scratched the surface. I hit the cave's wall once again, again, and again until cracks began appearing on its skull.

"We are not going anywhere with these light hits."

I pulled the skeleton away from the wall and gave all my power and body weight to the next hit. Its skull shattered like a vase.

"Finally! At least you are only annoying and not dangerous." I grabbed the skeleton's mace. "I can use this." I began inspecting the weapon.

"Little rusty, but it is a blunt iron with enough weight, might help me to survive."

My stomach growled because of hunger.

"But it doesn't matter if I have this mace nor Arthurs Excalibur. Without food, I will die."