Douxie glanced around the room uneasily, eyes flitting from person to person. He counted at least three head secretaries for the generals, two of which were not doing a very good job of hiding their constant glances at Carter. One scientist standing at their commander's side, and his assistant, whose gaze also seemed to be drawn towards the lone demigod. Douxie subtly shuffled closer to him in the crowded room. Archie sat between their feet, hiding easily in the crowd of soldiers.
Carter was tense next to him, jaw grit and eyes calculating as he looked around. He could feel their gazes on him. He knew they weren't what they appeared to be. "Three." He whispered. "Three blood-thirsty little pricks who can't find someone else to pick on."
Douxie found his hand, squeezing it gently. "Stay calm. They can smell fear."
Carter whipped his head towards him, eyes wide. "Are you serious?"
"Unfortunately he is." Archie's voice rang in their heads. "I can smell the fear on you, Carter. Take a deep breath. Calm down."
Carter took in a rattling breath, closing his eyes and trying to settle his nerves. His palms were sweaty, but Douxie still held tight to his hand. He started counting to ten under his breath, then slowly let it out. "I'm good. I'm fine."
"You're okay." Douxie whispered. "They won't attack you in this crowded of a room. They'll wait until you're alone."
"And luckily," said Archie. "They don't know you can defend yourself well enough without Douxie's assistance."
Carter mentally sighed very loudly. His frustration flooded Douxie's brain through the mind-link. "Three against one aren't very good odds. Even for me."
"Three against three." Archie corrected. "We won't leave your side."
Carter smiled appreciatively, though in the low light of the war tent, you really couldn't see it. He didn't say anything else, just fixed his attention on their commanding officer, who was laying out the attack plan. It was going to be bloody, and there were going to be losses. But if they did this right, they would be one step closer to winning the war.
*~*
Douxie hovered by Carter as they got ready to leave. Anxiety pounded in his stomach as he looked around, catching the eye of one of the secretaries from earlier. She scowled at him, but didn't do much else. Her eyes flit hungrily to Carter for a split second before she turned sharply on her heel and walked away. Douxie let out a breath.
"Nervous much?" Carter joked, slinging his pack over his shoulder.
"Very." Douxie looked over his shoulder one more time before following Carter to the line up trucks that were waiting for them. "I've got a bad feeling, love. Something isn't right here."
Carter spared him a glance. His expression was calm and collected, but his eyes betrayed him. He was terrified. "We'll be fine."
Douxie doubted he even believed that himself. "How are you so sure?"
Carter shrugged, loading his bag into the back of one of the trucks before swinging up into it. He held his hand out to help Douxie in. "Am I ever?"
Douxie snorted, taking his hand. "No."
"Exactly." He found a seat against the wall of the vehicle. "If worse comes to worse, you could always just," he wiggled his fingers.
It took Douxie a moment to realize he was miming magic. He rolled his eyes, swatting his hand away. "I told you multiple times why I can't."
Carter smiled wryly. "Didn't stop you from doing it for me."
Douxie couldn't argue with that.
*~*
The trucks rolled to a slow stop and they filed out, hands clutched to their weapons. Every single one of them knew what was about to happen. By the end of the day, they would either live to tell this story to their families, or they'd die in service of their country. Nobody much fancied the second option.
They walked at first, eyes flickering out over the barren, scorched land. There was no life here. Only death.
An explosion shook the ground and gunfire rang out from the opposite side of the battlefield. They hit the ground, waiting for it to pass. As soon as the shouting and the gunshots ceased, they ran for the trenches.
The troops slid into the trench just as another bomb went off somewhere overhead. Carter flinched into Douxie's side as tiny bits of dirt and shrapnel rained over their heads. Douxie subtly grabbed his hand, squeezing it reassuringly. He wouldn't let Carter die today. They'd get through this. He'd promised.
"Let's go!" A general shouted at the new arrivals. "You'll learn to tune out the bombs, now get a move on!"
This was the first time either of them had been out on the front lines. Douxie realized with growing horror that neither of them were prepared for this. Carter wasn't prepared for this. Not so soon after his mother's death.
Douxie looked to his partner who ran by his side, wanting so badly to pull them both out of here and just wait for the war to pass. But as they moved quickly along the trench floor, he saw growing resolve in Carter's face. Carter would see this through to the end. And Douxie would stay by his side for all of it.
Hours passed and both sides did little more than take puckshots at eachother. There wasn't much they could do beyond that. No one was crazy enough to try and charge across No Man's Land.
Douxie wondered how long this would go on. How long before the Germans got bored and decided to drop a nuke on their heads. He ducked his head as another explosion rocked the earth, sending dirt flying over their heads. This was hopeless.
"-won't make it past this point."
Douxie looked to his side at hearing some higher ranked soldiers pass by.
"We'll need some sort of miracle." He was saying, face tight with anxiety and exhaustion. "We have to charge it."
"It's suicide." Said the man he was talking to. "We'll lose more men than we have."
"We have no choice."
They kept walking and their voices faded but Douxie wasn't even listening anymore. They were going to try and charge across this godforsaken hellhole. He looked at Carter, who was jumping back into the semi-safety of the trench after having gotten picked to snipe a few brave or stupid German soldiers who'd been trying to pick their way across No Man's Land.
Douxie's breath got stuck in his throat at the fresh cut across Carter's face that was dripping blood. "Carter." He almost couldn't move, couldn't breathe.
Carter wiped the blood with his sleeve. "I'm fine." He didn't sound fine. "Bullet grazed me."
Alright. That was it. Douxie was going to drag Carter out of here screaming if he had to. If they stayed, they'd die. And he couldn't lose Carter. Not like this. Not ever.
Before he could even move, another explosion went off close to them. Everyone fell to the ground as the earth shook and unbearable heat washed over them. Dirt scattered above them and flaming pieces of metal and what might have been human flesh rained into their no longer safe hiding place.
A dull ringing filled Douxie's ears. He couldn't move, and his breath was coming in dry and hot, like the explosion had sucked all the moisture out of the air. He forced his eyes open, his vision hazy and unfocused. But through the blur, he could see Carter pushing himself to his feet.
"Carter," he rasped, trying to push himself up. "Carter, what are you doing?"
A gentle hand cupped his cheek and soft lips pressed to his for a split second. "I'm so sorry. I love you, Douxie."
And then he was gone, his boots kicking up dirt as he ran.
Carter hauled himself over the wall of the trench, ignoring his aching body's protests as he started running. He ignored the shouting, and the explosions, and the gunshots and just ran. He didn't know what he was doing, he didn't even know if he had a plan. He just knew he needed to keep Douxie safe.
His feet pounded against the ground as dirt sprayed up around him with fire and vengeance. Landmines, he realized. But Carter didn't slow down. The earth shook and cried, trying to trip him as he ran, but he didn't lose his footing. A weight grew in his hand and he looked down, seeing the sword he'd come so accustomed to using held in his grip. He paused for a second. He'd left it at base... this was... impossible.
Magic, Carter realized. He needed the sword, and it appeared.
But what do I even need the sword for? Carter wondered just as a bullet clanged against the sword. He looked towards where the bullet had come from, eyes widening. Oh. That's what it's for.
Time seemed to slow down. Carter dodged the bullets coming his way. He could see them coming at him. His sword flew to block them with ease, the enchanted metal barely taking a dent. Carter grinned.
Another bullet came at his face and sliced it out of the air. He started running towards the enemy, dodging, sliding, and blocking the bullets. A few frightened, and rightfully so, German soldiers decided this wasn't worth their lives and abandoned their posts. A maniac with a sword? No thank you.
Carter struck down soldier after soldier, merciless in his drive to protect Douxie. That one thought became all-consuming in his mind and everything else was obsolete. Kill these murderous bastards to protect Douxie. He was quick and ruthless, running further and further behind enemy lines, striking down anyone who got in his path.
Pain flared in his shoulder but he barely registered it as he kept going. He heard shouting behind him, but he paid it no mind.
Keep going until there's no one left. A voice that didn't quite sound like his own rang in his head. Leave no survivors.
Blood sprayed across his face as he swung his sword again and again. The world around him became a blur and he couldn't tell if he was killing his enemies or his allies. He wasn't sure he cared.
But then a voice called out to him across the battlefield that made him stop cold in his tracks.
"Carter!" Douxie screamed his name again, voice dripping with fear. He was staring at him across the smoke and fire, eyes wide with terror. "Carter move!"
Carter stood stock still, staring at him. He knew should listen. But his body wouldn't move. Panic flooded his being right before a loud noise deafened him and unbearable heat tore through his body.