Horrors of War

6th, March, 1017.
Entente Line, Delta Sector.
Seventh Central Ponies Offensive.
128th Rifle Regiment, 8th Onhooves Division.
No Pony's Land.

I quietly crawled out from my destroyed position on the crater, I couldn't hear anything but a loud bell noise that bothered my ear. I check my body, still 'intact', thankfully that artillery blast didn't land so close near me. I thought to my self that I'm a lucky stallion that just survived from a near death experience. I turned to see my squad, but I only seen the horrifying sight of my squadmates, as their body part were either disappeared, unattached, or splattered across No Pony's Land. There is one, a yellow Stallion that lost all of his legs and his heads, it was only his body that remained, I even barely recognized him. "Shit!" I cursed as I looked away, only to seen another horrifying sight; a Mare that lost her lower torso, trying desperately reaching for her rifle, her internal organ were seen splattered out of her, and it didn't take long for the mare to succumbed for her death. I felt my Stomach moved and almost spilled my entire stomach due to gory scene I just seen. I gazed over the cloudy sky, afraid to look at the horrifying scene I just have witnessed. "I hoped that i never see that," I muttered. "I just don't want to see and believe of what I just seen."

I heard a weak grumble behind me, I turned over and hoped i did not see more horrifying and distressing scene, I was wrong. It was a blue coated buck that were assigned to my Regiment a few month ago, Private Heat (if I recalled his name correctly, It doesn't matter anyway). He had a chunk of an iron impaled on his stomach, I galloped beside him and check if there was any important organ damaged. Thankfully he didn't (at least from my perspective), then i check his pulse. Slow and weak Heart beat, I panicked. If the Buck didn't get treated quickly, he will surely die due to blood lost on his stomach. In the name of Celestia I just don't know what to do, "Damn it!" I cursed loudly as possible.

Just before i could do anything to do a First aid, a whistle were heard across No Pony's Land. That Whistle aren't anything like Entente Ponies,
I thought to myself. And then i found myself cursing, "That is The Central Ponies! FUCK!" I din't think long enough as i roughly erased the iron chunk that were stuck on the Private stomach. And I know that could hurt the Private survival chance, but i don't have a choice. I bandaged his open wound fast as i could, and start to carried him on my back. Just as i carried him,i heard rifle shot from behind... Then a voice commanding me to stop. I didn't complied and galloped as fast as i could, then i can hear shooting from behind me. I know i could die at that very moment, adrenaline were rising as i galloped for my life. I don't care about myself, I just want this to get over with.

I could feel hundreds of ponies charging just only to get me and the young Buck, I know that whistle represented. Its a Major Offensive, and a Major Offensive means hundreds even thousand's of live are now charging into No Pony's Land just trying to take the Delta line. So I galloped as fast as my hooves could take me and hopefully long enough, no matter how many burning pain I received. Sheer luck is on my side however, Artillery barrage start to bombard the whole area, devastate the Imperial troops as I could hear a distant scream of pain across No Pony's Land. I don't know if i should call it a luck or anything, as the artillery shell could blast me to smithereens, And it almost did.

One Artillery blast, that almost caught my life. The blast are only meters away from me, if only the damn artillery slightly lined up to the left, I could get blasted there. I stumble for a few feet before i start yet again, running for my life. Loud bell noise's, my vision start's to blur out, before i could knew it. Barrage of artillery that once raining hell, is now put to cease, I'm nearing the Delta trench's. I could get shot from a mile's away but it didn't, thankfully my uniform aren't grey, or I could get shot a mile away, I could see the Delta trench's, it wasn't that far, but it felt like i just trotting down forever just to seek safety inside the trench's. I've been through hell and manage to survive. So far, I galloped through No Pony's Land, outrunned the whole God-Damn Army and survived an artillery blast, WITH A PONY STRAPPED TO MY BACK!

I can't stop, the Imperial Army are charging, crossing the treacherous No Pony's Land into the Delta trench. I just can't stop galloping, no matter how many pain that slowed me down. I know the poor buck could died there but i could still felt a weak breath coming behind, so i just keep going. The burning pain, I could feel it from every part of my body, I don't care, I just want to get this over with.

Trotting through No Pony's Land, is just an 'Amazing' feat. I've never felt such sensation of not getting or being shot at. As i approached the Trench, somepony spotted and it seem's alarming the other's, at first they looked like going to shot me as their guns aiming down. Until one pony shouted, "THATS ONE OF OURS!" I couldn't tell what was my feeling there; it's either happy, grateful, or relieved, either way. I MADE IT! I made it to the trench, and maybe saved the young buck as well, but that were up to the medic's to take care off. I just need a nap, a good long nap as my eye's were horribly heavy as i tried to fight over consciousness. By the time i made to the trench, i just fall's down to the ground, resting my eye's, my body, everything. I don't really care where I falls down, either somewhere in the trench or outside the trench's. I am now, at safety at my comrades, and now taking cover from the Horror's of No Pony's Land.

I couldn't really tell how long I've been out, I woke up in a bunk, bandage's were around me i could hear weak grumble voice of somepony everywhere. I'm at the medical area I thought to myself, i looked around the huge room. I seen many soldier's in the room weakly grunting, me myself are grunting as i tried to get up, until a voice of somepony was heard behind me. "Don't get up!" said the nurse. I couldn't complain, as it is painful for me to move every inch of my body. The nurse trotted to me, and checked over me. She asked me if there's anything she can do to help, and then i asked how long I've been knocked unconscious. She replied, "You've been out for at least for a week and a half."

"Did you not remember?" She asked me back. Of course I remember, EVERY GOD-DAMN THING. From the artillery blast that kills my squadmates (except for me and Heat), to me falls down somewhere near the Delta trench. It's already too horrible and distressing enough that i don't want to remember any of it. I shook my head and quickly answered, "No, I remembered everything."

Speaking of the ponies that I carry over the No Pony's Land and eventually 'saved' him, there's the blue coated ponies I've been looking for. His eye's rolled to me and then start trotting to me with a happy smile. He seemed to be fine and ready to be tossed to the front line again, although he had a bandage over his stomach. "LT! I'm so glad that you're okay," He said with a concerned look. I only could nodded in response of his question, Heat continue to thank me after hearing what i just did. I could see he is preparing to leave as he was carrying a heavy pack, i don't really know what he's carrying on his backpack. I asked him if he's leaving somewhere to the front line shortly, which he answered while shaking his head, "No Sir, I'm not leaving to the front line," He paused for a moment and continue. "I am, going Home sir."

I was shocked for a moment, before i ask him again if he is seriously going home? which Heat replied with a rapid nod. I really want to hug him, if my body weren't so stiff and painful. I congratulated him and said he's one of the luckiest stallion that can go home, I could see him blushing a little. Heat then said, "Well sir, i wanted to see you before i left, and uh... again, I really-REALLY thankful to you for what you had done to get me out of that hell hole."

I smiled and waved my hooves at him before he leave the huge Medical area, I sighed. Remembering that i will recovering soon, and will return to the front line and living a life in the trench's again. It saddened me that the war weren't nearing the end, or I should say it 'Inside the Storm'. I sank down into my own thoughts, as i put my back to the bunk and see's the ceilings of the Medical center. Heavy sigh were coming out of my breath, i rolled to the sides and prepared to sleep. I deserve to be well rested after what I've been through. But i couldn't, i just can't sleep, the thoughts of war already swarmed me, and it's bringing me down deeper and deeper, "Why is this even necessary? What it had accomplished? Is this ever gonna end? Can I able to go home again?"

To be continued.